Jagat

Previous posts in this series: 1: Guru Nishtha 2: Raganuga Sadhana following Bhaktivinoda Thakur's Manjari Parampara 3: Svarasiki Bhajan 4: Attaining Siddhi 5: Learning about Siddha Krishnadas Baba's Gutika 6: The Gutika's Contents In Chapter 2 Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s authentic mañjarī paramparā was introduced. Beginning from Radha’s younger sister, Ananga Manjari, the sampradāya ācārya , it descends in an unbroken succession of mañjarīs to reach Vilasa Manjari, who is Kamala Manjari (Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s) guru-rūpa-sakhī . When one hankers to take up gopi-ānugatya bhajana , this is how the process can ideally begin: When at the time of receiving initiation we have a guru-mañjarī and a mañjarī-paramparā who will factually be there to guide us in Radha-Krishna’s nikunja-sevā . Because Bhaktivinoda Thakur took dīkṣā  in such a lineage, and furthermore instructs in Hari-nāma-cintāmaṇi that one should receive ekādaśa-bhāva from such a guru, won’t those wishing to fo...

One of the things that Gadadhar and I talked about the other day was the Janma Sthan. He was reading to me from his latest chapter in "Another side of Bhaktivinoda Thakur," and in the context of Bipin Bihari Goswami brought up the controversy about the birthplace. He downplayed it in part by saying that Mahaprabhu responds to devotion, and the rāgānugā bhakta in particular is not confined by material time or place, but in his mind goes to the eternal Goloka Navadvipa. Ananta Das Babaji's dsiciple Vaishanva Pada Dasji also said to me last year when I saw him at Radha Kund: "What is the harm in having two birthplaces? Why argue over it? We have two places to remember Mahaprabhu's appearance. Mahaprabhu accepts everyone's sincere devotion and prayers. The external place is not the important thing." "But," Gadadhar said, "I don't agree with these Gaudiya Maths who just claim that their math is on the site of Nandanacharya's house...