Even while executing his vow, Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati occasionally went outside Mayapur for preaching, especially to attack the apa-sampradayas for misleading people with their bogus interpretations and practices. He particularly agitated the smarta-brahmanas and jata-gosanis (caste Goswamis) by insisting that the position of a brahmana and post of guru are not hereditary professions. Such assertions were intolerable to the smarta-brahmanas and jata-gosanis, who were keeping a stranglehold on Hinduism in Bengal by maintaining that only persons born into families of supposed brahminical lineage could be counted as genuine brahmanas or gurus, and who were not at all happy with these “new” ideas that contested their nigh unquestioned authority and threatened to despoil their ancestral business of cheating. Although still secure with the support of mass misoneism born of centuries of ingrained tradition, the false brahmanas felt themselves under increasing pressure and hence marshalled themselves to protect their interests. In August 1911, suspending their mutual mistrust, the smarta-brahmanas and caste Goswamis arranged a meeting at Sujangar village, in Midnapore District of Bengal. Under the chairmanship of Sri Bipina Bihar Goswami they declared their anti-devotional manifesto, soon thereafter published as Purva-paksa Nirasane (Refutal of the opposing argument):
Unless born in a brahmana family, a Vaisnava is disqualified from worshiping salagrama-sila and conferring initiation. By accepting disciples, Narottama dasa Thakura and Syamananda Prabhu had thus contravened sastra;
Caitanya Mahaprabhu presented Raghunatha dasa Gosvami with a Govardhana-sila because as a sudra he was disqualified from salagrama-sila worship;
Worship of Govardhana-sila has no sastriya basis and hence is merely conventional or sentimental;
Only those injunctions of Hari-bhakti-vilasa that do not contradict traditional smrtis are to be followed.
As intended, this broadside against Hari-bhakti-vilasa and the conclusions of hallowed acaryas caused much disturbance and doubt, particularly in the minds of the many Vaisnavas in the locality of the convention, whose gurus’ teachings were the targeted purva-paksa. Yet the gauntlet that had been thrown down was not merely a local matter—its reverberations resounded throughout the Vaisnava community of Bengal and Orissa. In response, the proponents of pure Vaisnavism formed the Gaudiya Vaisnava Dharma-samraksini Sabha (Assembly of protectors of Gaudiya Vaisnavism) under the chairmanship of Sri Visvambharananda-deva Goswami, head of the Syamanandi sect, and shortly thereafter convened another assembly to discuss the same issues in a different light, to rebut the insufferable statements that had been made and simultaneously to reassure their discombobulated disciples of the validity of the Vaisnava position.
The three-day public event beginning on 8 September 1911 in the village of Balighai Uddhavapura, close to Sujangar, was organized by Sripada Bhakti Tirtha Thakura, a disciple of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and was sponsored by the Maharaja of Mayurbhanj, whose family traditionally had ruled on behalf and as disciples of the Syamanandi gurus. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was expected to be the main speaker, but due to severe rheumatism was unable to attend. In frustration he cried out, “Is there no one in the Vaisnava world who can reply to these people, and by presenting scriptural evidence and logic put a stop to their lowly activities?”
Taking up the challenge, Sri Siddhanta Sarasvatl penned a manuscript entitled Brahmana o Vaisnavera Taratamya-visayaka Siddhanta (Conclusion concerning the comparison of brahmanas and Vaisnavas). Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had been in such pain that he was unable to rise from bed, but when Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati read this essay to him, he spontaneously sat up and joyfully congratulated Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati, declaring confidently that by such arguments the darkness of the smarta doctrine would soon be dissipated.
Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati sallied forth with the panache of a swashbuckler marching to battle. Upon arrival he was accorded a reception befitting an acarya, by Sri Madhusudana Goswami of the Radha-ramana temple in Vrndavana and Sri Visvambharananda-deva Goswami, themselves ancestral gurus, and other respectable and learned Vaisnavas. Sri Visvambharananda- deva was from a lineage that was originally kayastha, whose members several generations before had unilaterally undertaken the role of brahmanas and acaryas and were accepted thus by all, albeit begrudgingly by many “real” brahmanas. Despite their hereditarily acquired status as gurus, these two renowned Vaisnava scholars upheld the sastriya understanding that a person should be recognized as a brahmana, Vaisnava, or guru according to his qualities, rather than merely by birth. The upcoming meeting was primarily meant to address the newly implanted doubts about this topic among the many disciples of Sri Madhusudana Goswami and Sri Visvambharananda-deva in the area. Since trouble was anticipated, the inquisitive crowds that had gathered for the function were overseen by a large deployment of police.
The day after he arrived Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati accompanied Sri Madhusudana Goswami and Sri Visvambharananda-deva in inspecting arrangements for the meeting. Although smarta panditas and jata-gosanis had not been invited, a considerable number had arrived from all over Bengal, and upon perceiving little capable resistance in the Vaisnava encampment, they were swaggering about in peremptory good spirits. On Madhusudana and Visvambharananda’s advice, Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati for the time being kept aloof and avoided entering into parley with the opposition.
Next day, with the acquiescence of all, Visvambharananda-deva Goswami accepted the chair of the meeting. Although Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati was the youngest delegate present, his reputation was such that it was clear he should be the first to speak. Repeating the conclusions of his essay, he began by citing numerous scriptural references in approbation of brahmanas. This delighted his antagonists, most of whom were unaware of many of the passages he quoted. But their glee turned to wrath when Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati shifted tack to compellingly refute the smarta position with his unerring logic and mastery of scriptural lore, presenting overwhelming evidence for ascertaining who is actually a brahmana or Vaisnava and asserting that only a Vaisnava is a true brahmana, superior to those who claim brahmana-hood by birth, and that Vaisnavas should be gurus of seminally-produced brahmanas, not vice versa. Becoming perhaps the first ever to challenge the brahmanas to prove the purity of their descent, on which they claimed superiority, Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati gave compelling reasons to suggest that their blood lines could not be wholly unsullied. The obstreperous brahmanas responded with an uproar, squawking and gesticulating, but were requested by Sri Madhusudana Goswami to keep the peace and for now just listen, being promised an opportunity to reply.
Subsequent speakers cited profusely from scripture to verify Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati’s points, particularly emphasizing that Caitanya Mahaprabhu had defied caste rigidity by accepting devotees on their spiritual merit, not by birth. It was He who had recognized Muslim-born Haridasa Thakura as the acarya of the holy name, He who had inducted the apparent sudra Ramananda Raya to ostensibly teach Him about Krsna, and He who had made the rejected brahmanas Rupa and Sanatana doyens of the Gaudiyas for all time. Yet in the name of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the so-called Goswamis were claiming ascendancy on the basis of birth.
At the conclusion of the first day and on the second, the uninvited smarta constituency was allowed to speak. The meeting climaxed with a two-hour allocution by Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati, which recapitulated the genuine Vaisnava position and left the rivals with nothing further to say. As the smartas and jata- gosanis slinked away, Visvambharananda-deva Goswami affirmed Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati as the champion of the meeting, a conclusion echoed by thousands of cheering mouths. Expressing awe at the erudition of Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati, Madhusudana Goswami declared him an avatar of Sukadeva Gosvami, and later conveyed deep gratitude to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura for preparing a mighty acarya in the personage of Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati. This first of Sri Siddhanta Sarasvatl’s major public triumphs was signaled by jubilant crowds rushing to take dust from his lotus feet. Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati never allowed anyone even to touch his feet, let alone take dust from them, but despite his resolve to maintain a humble demeanor, a swell of people were now crushing in on him, equally determined to get his precious foot-dust.
The guards pacified the clamoring throngs, took Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati aside, and washed his feet. After adding several extra pots of water to the foot-wash,they distributed it to the eager mass. And fearing attempts to harm him, they placed Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati under police protection.
(From Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava compiled by Vikasa Swami)