Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library
Mission Statement

Dear Readers of BVML,

Please accept our dandavat pranams. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gouranga. All glories to Sri Sri Radha Govindaji!!! All glories to Sacinandana Goura Hari!!!

BVML was established as an alternative to other highly politically oriented websites that concern themselves with the Gaudiya Vaisnava community. We found that posting articles on such sites and on various internet forums only incited contention, especially with regard to any deep understanding of suddha-bhakti, and guru-tattva. Rather than waste energy on fruitless arguments we decided to put that energy elsewhere. We felt more was accomplished by simply making available the positive assertions of our Gaudiya Acaryas with regard to the absolute truth through their articles and lectures, for anyone interested.

BVML's purpose is therefore to offer the Gaudiya tattva-siddhanta as seen through the realization and scholarship of our Gaudiya-acaryas and the shastra (revealed scriptures). At the 1936 observance of the vyasa puja celebration of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, before the members of the Bombay Gaudiya Matha, Abhay Charan Das [early name of His Divine Grace Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada] declared:

"Gentlemen, the offering of such an homage as has been arranged this evening to the acaryadeva is not a sectarian concern, for when we speak of the fundamental principle of gurudeva or acaryadeva, we speak of something that is of universal application. There does not arise any question of discriminating my guru from yours or anyone else's. There is only one guru, who appears in an infinity of forms to teach you, me and all others." [entire text can be found here.]

BVML's banner exemplifies His Divine Grace's non-sectarean mood.^[1] Therefore, photos of selected predecessor and present acaryas have been posted. The order of their photos bears some explanation. We have placed them in order of the external calendar date they joined the Gaudiya Mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, "full time." Members of the "same" Mission are placed together.

Such liberated souls are eternal members of Sri Chaitanaya Mahaprabhu's Mission. However, according to their different nara lilas (earthly pastimes), "joining" means the date they moved into the matha, took harinama initiation, or left household life for full time involvement in preaching activities, even though some had some association with their gurudeva even before that date.

While BVML devotes a small amount of bandwidth to current "hot topics", or "controversial" discussion from contemporary disciples, the bulk of our site is dedicated to the words of the Gaudiya-acaryas, and their divine realizations about the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Your servants,

Puru das adhikari
Bhutabhavana dasa

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[1]  Here is the information used to organize our banner, which was obtained in India after careful research. We consulted with various senior devotees from different Missions, and took help from Srila Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Maharaja, the secretary of the Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Matha. He kindly consulted his personal notebooks to assist us in obtaining accurate information concerning dates. If you see any errors please contact us.

Sri Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada started The Gaudiya Mission in 1918
Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Goswami: joined 1920
Sri Srimad Bhakti Saranga Gosvami Maharaja: joined circa 1920
Srila Bhakti Promod Puri Goswami: joined 1923
Sri Srimad Bhakti Sri-rupa Siddhanti Gosvami Maharaja: joined circa 1924 - 1925
Srila Hrydaya Bon Maharaja: joined 1926
Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhara Maharaja: joined 1926
Srila Bhakti Kusum Sraman Goswami Maharaja joined 1927
Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Maharaja: joined 1927
Srila Bhakti Kumud Santa Maharaja: joined 1932 at 11 years of age.
Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: diksa 1932; sannyasa 1959; established ISKCON l965

Since all of the aforementioned acaryas are godbrothers and direct diksa disciples of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, we have tried to observe Vaisnava etiquette by not making any false disctinctions between them and listing all of their names with the same prefix "Srila." The details of their service to Sri Srila Prabhupada (His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura) may differ, but it behooves anyone to try to make mundane or sectarian value judgements with regard to the quality of guru nistha and guru seva they each exhibited in their own fashion. ^[2]

Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja: joined ISKCON 1975, sannyasa 1975
Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja: joined Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti 1943, sannyasa 1954
Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja: joined Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti prior 1946, sannyasa 1954
Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja: joined Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti 1946, sannyasa 1952
Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja: joined Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Math 1947, sannyasa 1961
Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaja: diksa 1986; residence at Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math 1987

[2]   Srila Narahari Sakara Thakura [the 40th branch of the Caitanya tree] has explained in his Sri Krsna Bhajanamrta as follows

Verse 40: Because the Vaisnava devotees of the Lord are always meditating on Lord Sri Krsna the contamination of sinful activities cannot come upon them. Because a Vaisnava's body has the fire of Krsna Consciousness within it, even if they are fallen, this fire of Krsna Consciousness will burn up to ashes any material contamination.
Verse 41: However, those who are not able to understand the respective levels of spiritual potency may take shelter of this example. As in the Ganges there are many waves, and some of these waves are larger then other waves but all of the waves are considered to be sacred, one wave being not considered more holy than another wave, similarly, all types of Vaisnavas, those who are spiritually strong and those who are not so strong, can be offered equal worship. Considering this perspective in such circumstances that can be accepted as perfect worship.
Verse 42: All Vaisnavas are considered as guru or spiritual master.
Verse 43: Amongst all of the Vaisnavas the initiating guru (diksa-guru) and instructing guru (siksa-guru) are special.
Verse 44: It is proper to offer these two special respect.
Verse 45: Amongst all of the other spiritual masters these two (diksa-guru and siksa-guru) spiritual masters' orders are to be followed.

His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada writes:

"Narahari das Sarkara was a very famous devotee. Locan das Thakur, the elaborated author of Caitanya-mangala, was his disciple. In Caitanya-mangala it is stated that Sri Gadadhara das and Narahari Sarkara were extremely dear to Sri Caitanya Mahparabhu."
Cc. Adi lila Chapter 10
The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree
Purport to Texts 78 - 79

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