Appearance of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Sri Sacidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura appeared in 1838 in a wealthy family in the Nadia district, West Bengal. He revealed that he is an eternal associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by his extraordinary preaching activities and prolific writing. Living as a mahabhagavata Vaisnava, he stayed in the grhastha (householder) ashram until the last few years of his life. Then he renounced everything, accepted babaji, and entered samadhi, totally absorbed in the loving service of Gaura-Gadadhara and Radha-Madhava.

Superhuman Daily Schedule

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada praised his diligence and schedule:

"He had a responsible government position as the District Magistrate (high court judge), maintained a Krishna conscious family, and wrote almost one hundred books on Krishna consciousness. At the same time, he served the Supreme Lord in so many ways. That is the beauty of his life. After a full day of government service he would sleep four hours, get up at midnight and write until morning. That was his daily program."

Humility & Saranagati Teachings

Thakura Bhaktivinoda took Vaisnava diksa from Sri Vipinvihari Goswami in the line of Sri Jahnava Mata. Afterwards, he received spiritual inspiration and direction from Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji.

Holding an exalted government post, vast erudition, and spiritual accomplishment never disturbed Bhaktivinoda Thakura. He remained prideless, always humble, friendly to all. Charity seekers at his home always left happy and satisfied. A well-wisher to everyone, he never kept grudges, even with opponents to his preaching. In fact, he never spoke a word that would hurt another's feelings.

In the following entry from his book Saranagati, Srila Bhaktivinoda, who possessed all pure divine qualities, takes the role of a conditioned soul to teach us how to advance in Krishna consciousness:

"You should always absorb your mind in attentively chanting Krishna's glories. By performing Krishna kirtana you'll gain mastery over the mind. Give up all false pride. Always think yourself to be worthless, destitute, lower and more humble than straw in the street. Practice forgiveness like the tree. Giving up all violence toward other living beings, you should maintain them. Throughout your life you should never give anxiety to others. But do good to them, make them happy, and forget about your own happiness.

"Thus when you become a pious good soul by possessing all good qualities, you should give up desires for fame and honor. And just make your heart humble. Knowing that Lord Sri Krishna lives within all living beings, you should respect and honor everyone at all times. You will attain virtue by being humble, merciful, respecting others, and renouncing desires for fame and honor. In such a state, you should sing the glories of the Supreme Lord."

The "Seventh Gosvami" & Devotion to Sri Radhika

Srinivasa Acarya praises the six Gosvamis of Vrindavana: nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma samsthakapau, lokanam hita karinau ("The six Gosvamis deeply studied all the sastras in order to establish eternal religious principles for the benefit of everyone"). Similarly, Thakura Bhaktivinoda made unlimited preaching contributions to help humanity, and for this, he is recognized as the "Seventh Gosvami."

Besides books in Bengali, Oriya, and English reviving and explaining Mahaprabhu's message, he wrote hundreds of poems and songs full of spiritual sentiments and sastric siddhanta. The following quote comes from Thakura Bhaktivinoda's Gitavali, highlighting the absolute necessity of taking shelter of Srimati Radharani:

Discovery of Yogapitha & Three Predictions

During the last five-hundred years, the original appearance place of Lord Caitanya had vanished under the shifting course of the Ganges River. In 1888, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura revealed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's janmasthana at the Yogapitha in Sridhama Mayapur. This discovery was joyfully confirmed by Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja. He established the worship of Lord Gauranga and Srimati Vishnupriya at Yogapitha.

In the mood of innovation, in 1896 he sent to universities around the world a book of slokas, Sri Gauranga-lila smarana, which had a forty-seven page English introduction: "Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: His Life and Precepts," rising from a keen desire to spread Lord Caitanya's teachings in the Western countries.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura made three famous predictions:

1. "A personality will soon appear and he will travel all over the world to spread the teachings of Lord Caitanya."
2. "Very soon the chanting of Harinama sankirtana will be spread all over the world. Oh, when will that day come when people from America, England, France, Germany, Russia will take up karatals and mrdangas and chant Hare Krishna in their towns?"
3. "When will that day come when the fair-skinned foreigners will come to Sri Mayapur-dhama and join with the Bengali Vaisnavas to chant, Jaya Sacinandana, Jaya Sacinandana. When will that day be?"

Srila Prabhupada said it is spiritually significant that he himself appeared in 1896, the same year Bhaktivinoda Thakura sent his book overseas. The will of Lord Caitanya, the desire of Thakura Bhaktivinoda, and the mercy of Srila Sarasvati Thakura empowered Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to spread Sri Caitanya's teachings and the chanting of Hare Krishna all over the world, fulfilling all three of the Thakura's predictions.