Sripada Kunja Bihari Vidyabhusana Prabhu
In search for a cogent understanding of spiritual knowledge, Umapati, a young man from Jessore District working as a post office clerk in Calcutta, had been visiting various sadhus, yet despite much inquiry had received only unsatisfactory answers. Some friends advised him to simply stick with the jata- gosani he was initiated by, and not meander here and there. But Umapati had no faith in the anodyne Vaisnavism that he had circumstantially been formally inducted into; like many educated young Bengalis, he had surmised that Vaisnavas were a class of illiterate scoundrels. Nevertheless, on the insistence of his friends and also out of personal curiosity, on Gaura-jayanti of 1914 he journeyed to Navadvipa along with an acquaintance, Sri Sakhi Carana Raya, to see its sights and meet the resident gosanis. At the home of one gosani known to Sakhi Carana, Umapati, a vegetarian, became disgusted when he noticed fish in the meal offered them. Pushing the fish to one side and eating just a morsel of rice, he quickly rose and left.
The two pilgrims then went for darsana of Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, who explained to them a well-known verse from Sri Caitanya- caritamrta:
krsna-bhakta niskama, ataeva ‘santa’ bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami sakali ‘ashanta
A devotee of Lord Krsna is desireless and therefore peaceful. Those who desire material enjoyment, liberation, or material opulence cannot be peaceful. (Cc 2.19.149)
With Babaji Maharaja’s blessings the young men then proceeded to Mayapur, and on reaching that evening, were met by the brothers Ananta and Vanamali Poddar and taken to see Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati, who explained to them the four verses from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta that begin:
brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
Out of billions of living entities wandering throughout the universe according to their karma, one who is fortunate, by the combined mercy of guru and Krsna receives the seed of the creeper of bhakti.
(Cc 2.19.151)
Upon hearing Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati’s pellucid exposition, Umapati was enthralled to discover that among the Vaisnavas there exist panditas and philosophical deliberation. Yet also repelled by Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati’s indictments of persons that he revered, Umapati returned to Calcutta with little intention of again approaching Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati.
In November 1915 Umapati revisited Navadvipa seeking darsana of Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji—on the very day that Babaji Maharaja departed from this world. Two days later he was sent to Mayapur to invite Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati to a festival in Kuliya in honor of Babaji Maharaja. Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati told him, “I am a sold-out animal at the lotus feet of my gurudeva. I have no independence. I don’t know where I will take prasada. Wherever Krsna ordains that I get His remnants, there I fortunately partake of them.” Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati continued to speak for two hours, during which Umapati excitedly realized that even without asking he was now getting solutions to philosophical doubts that had vexed him for months. Not content to hear Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati for merely two hours, Umapati rushed back to Calcutta, arranged a two-month leave from the post office, and returned to Mayapur to regularly hear from Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati.
Yet still admiring the Ramakrishna Mission and other dubious outfits, Umapati was disturbed to again hear Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati describe as rapscallions people he venerated as saints. He was about to leave, but at Paramananda Prabhu’s urging he agreed to stay a few more days, during which he came to appreciate that Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati was indeed divine and thus begged to be initiated. Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati accepted Umapati as a disciple, renamed him Kunja Bihari dasa, and recognizing his competence in management, immediately engaged him in that capacity.
In later years Srila Sarasvati Thakura reflected that since his own nature was to be reclusive, inclined to philosophical pursuits and nama-bhajana—he liked to speak the message of Mahaprabhu to educated men, but it was not his temperament to invite people or take responsibility for their accommodation and feeding—when such practical services were assumed by Kunja Bihari, he (Srila Sarasvati Thakura) accepted him as a godsend for spanning the breach between himself and the public. In all his activities Srila Sarasvati Thakura consulted Kunja Bihari Prabhu, relying heavily on him for business and temporal affairs. Thus the Gaudiya Mission blossomed around the combination of Srila Sarasvati Thakura’s spiritual magnitude and Kunja Bihari’s worldly expertise.
Kunjada sacrificed his time, money, and very life in service to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, who repeatedly and publicly expressed gratitude toward him. As inaugurator and overseer of all activities of the Gaudiya Matha, Kunjada was considered the root of all service within it. Appointed secretary of the Gaudiya Matha, he proved adept in choreographing, promoting, and managing its activities while maintaining a full-time post office job. Under his astute guidance the Gaudiya Matha acquired and developed properties, published and distributed books, magazines, and newspapers, recruited and dispersed manpower for preaching, collected funds, and organized functions and festivals. One of his specialties was inspiring rich men to engage their money in Krsna’s service, through which he much increased the properties and prestige of the mission. At Sri Gaudiya Matha, as the matha-raksaka Kunja Bihari seemed omnipresent, overseeing the myriad activities, interacting with each devotee to ensure that their needs were taken care of and their services performed punctually and effectively, and that guests were properly tended. During festivals he often remained so busy that amid thousands being fed he would forgo food until last thing at night. And when the metharas (an outcast, of the social group whose perennial occupation has been to clean toilets and drains. For a caste Hindu, or even an outcast of a different subset, to perform this task was so unthinkably demeaning that it would have been almost impossible to hire anyone other than a methara to do it. Therefore Kunja Biharl’s willingness to do it indicated his having transcended mundane social consciousness) of Calcutta declared a strike, he told the matha-vasis, “We don’t need anyone to clean the outhouse. I’ll do it.”
In the early phase of the mission, Kunjada thought it prudent not to approach the public for alms, lest they misunderstand the devotees’ purpose. Thus he personally assumed financial responsibility for the rent, feeding of devotees and guests, and other expenses. However, on the modest income of a postal clerk he was able to fund the mission only by taking loans; nor did he inform Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati or others about that. Seeing his debts spiraling and finding no other means to repay them, and not wanting that blame accrue to his gurudeva or godbrothers, Kunja Bihari Prabhu obtained a well- paying appointment in Basra, Iraq. Knowing that his guru-maharaja would not give him permission yet feeling that he must go nonetheless, he left in May 1920 without telling anyone.
At that time Srila Sarasvati Thakura was in Mayapur, supervising the excavation of the Radha-kunda thereof. It was a wrenching shock to him and the other devotees when on 18 May he received news of Kunja Bihari Prabhu’s departure. The devotees became anxious about the future of the mission that they were busily developing. Srila Sarasvati Thakura had begun large-scale missionary work on the urging of Kunja Bihari Prabhu, having entrusted the management to him and made expansive plans based on his commitment. Now suddenly he was gone. Srila Sarasvati Thakura was already so severely afflicted with a carbuncle that he thought he might soon expire. Yet despite all these setbacks he did not slacken his activities. He wrote to Kunja Bihari Prabhu in Basra:
By this letter be informed of my blessings. Stay in a manner conducive to your physical welfare and chant the name of Sri Hari. Do not undertake any task abruptly. Whatever you do, perform it with the future in mind. Apart from nama-kirtana, there is no other sadhana or bhajana in this world. At the time of attaining perfection you will know all other things.
With great fortitude and reliance upon Krsna you have gone to a foreign land, and as a result, in this crucial state we are able to mentally see you. I never approve impulsive endeavors prompted by lack of proper consideration.
Sri Sanatana Gosvami had four occupations: (1) to reclaim lost holy places, (2) to preach the conclusion of devotion, (3) to establish Vaisnava smrti and society, and (4) to manifest the deity of Sri Madana-mohana to the populace. Following him, all of you who are more dear to me than my life-breath and my very self, should endeavor to perform these four activities to the best of your ability. While remaining in this world, perform these four works, and afterward you will attain Sri Gaura-Krsna’s mercy. Uphold bhakti-siddhanta, which is the Vaisnava understanding of Vedanta.
May Sri Varsabhanavi bestow mercy upon you. I am inferior to you in simplicity and renunciation of material objects. Your love for me is the subject of my constant remembrance. If in any future birth I can become a renunciant like you, then certainly Krsna will be able to bestow mercy upon me. With utmost enthusiasm, all of you continue the activities that I have begun. In so doing, love for Radha-Govinda will awaken. It will be good if you can directly see me. Otherwise, you will be able to see me through all these activities.
In November 1921 Kunja Bihari Prabhu arrived in Dacca while Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati was completing the last of a thirty-day series of discourses on the first verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam. As Kunja Bihari was falling prostrate at his feet, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati lifted him up and clasped him to his chest as both shed tears of joy. Kunjada was back! And he again took charge of organizing Gaudiya Matha activities.
Apart from its conventional implication, the name Kunjada was also understood as “who gives (da) entrance to the grove (kunja) of guru-seva,” apropos for one who directly or indirectly oversaw the engagement of many members of the Mission. He was described as “service personified.” Although Srila Sarasvati Thakura conferred honorific titles upon many of his disciples, Kunja Bihari was unique in being accoladed with two—Vidyabhusana and Bhagavata-ratna (jewel among exalted devotees). Kunjada became further known as guru-prestha (dear to guru), Prabhupada-prestha (dear to Prabhupada), and in English, the “beloved counterpart” of his guru. His reputation was such that brahmacaris would queue to receive his prasada remnants in hope of imbibing his mood of dedication to their guru-maharaja, and thus be entitled to enter the guru-seva-kunja.* And whenever disciples approached to offer dandavat to Srila Sarasvati Thakura in a place where Kunja Bihari was present, Srila Sarasvati Thakura would ask if they had first offered respects to Kunja Bihari Prabhu. If not, even if they were sannyasis, he would send them to do so.
The Gaudiya (2.25) bore the following description of Kunja Bihari Prabhu:
sarirarm vasu vijnanam vasah karma gunan asun gurv-artham dharayed yas tu sa sisyo netarah smrtah
One whose body, wealth, knowledge, possessions, activities, qualities, and very life are maintained only for the sake of his guru is a genuine disciple, not others.
In the personage of this mahatma, not for one day, not for two days, but always and at every moment have I observed this ideal. I had read the guru-devatatma verse in Srimad- Bhagavatam and heard the sruti mantra yatha deve tatha gurau explained. But at those times of reading or hearing there was no realization, nor even an idea that such could be possible.
Yet such a truly adverse person as myself has been able to realize this principle by seeing it written daily in blazing letters on every page of the book of this jewel-like devotee’s life. It appears that this mahatma has descended to the world to teach by his personal example this model of service. Whoever out of great fortune and with a sincere and non-envious disposition has an opportunity to observe the character of this mahatma will become wonderstruck and himself inclined to service by seeing his unending qualities.
*Seva-kunja is one of the most confidential pastime places of Vraja, wherein Krsna serves Radha by combing Her hair, tying Her tresses, etc. Several of the main Gaudiya temples of Vraja were established by first-generation followers of Srlman Mahaprabhu of this area. Kunja-seva (performing service in a bower of Vrndavana) is the exalted aspiration of devotees in manjarl-bhava. That kunja-seva can be attained only by service to the most exalted gopls is indicated in Cc 2.8.204-5.
In the new Sri Gaudiya Matha, which Kunja Bihari Prabhu was instrumental in acquiring and constructing, a poem composed by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati was inscribed on a column:
The secretary of the Sri Gaudiya Matha, Acaryatrika Sripada
Kunja Bihari Vidyabhusana, is:
the main pillar in the grand temple of the Sri Gaudiya Matha;
the prime cause of the flourishing of the life and service of the Sri Gaudiya Matha institution of service;
the original architect in creating the Sri Gaudiya Matha;
the principal minister for the waking and development of Srila Jagabandhu’s service attitude;
the central jewel in the Sri Gaudiya Matha’s jewelled necklace of devotees;
the very form of service to sri-guru, and the dearest to sri-guru;
the most distinguished assistant in fulfilling the mano-’bhista of sri-guru;
the foremost teacher of service to sri-guru, and the crest-jewel of tolerant service;
the person dedicated to the service of the servitors of sri-guru and who invites the world to the service of Hari and guru;
and the topmost friend of the Gaudiyas.
When Srila Sarasvati Thakura visited Mysore he was accompanied by several Gaudiya Matha leaders, but he wanted Kunja Bihari also to come, and called him via a telegram sent to Calcutta. When Kunjada arrived within just three or four days, Srila Sarasvati Thakura asked him how he had come so quickly—after all, he had responsibilities as a post office employee—to which Kunjada replied, “I am always ready for your service. I perform my duties well in advance so that if ever I need to leave at short notice I can easily get sanction.” In later years, near the time of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s departure, Kunja Bihari became the object of certain accusations by godbrothers convinced of his wrongdoings. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati did not disaffirm such charges, yet appreciating that managing the institution was not easy, and recognizing the multiple burdens Sri Kunja Bihari had accepted to expand the mission, he expressed indebtedness and declared that by Kunja Bihari’s having made arrangements for him to speak to the educated public, he had served him best among all disciples.
After Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s tirobhava, Sri Kunja Bihari Vidyabhusana took sannyasa, with the name Tridandi Svami Srimad Bhakti Vilasa Tlrtha Maharaja, and throughout his life continued to oversee the Sri Caitanya Matha and associated branches.
In a letter of 1920, Srlla Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati intimated that Kunja Bihari Prabhu’s siddha-svarupa was Vimala Manjarl.
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On Monday, 4th February 1894 (Bengali calendar – 19 Chaitra 1302, shukla saptami 7th day of the waxing moon cycle), a spiritual descendant of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur appeared in Chanchuri Purulia village in Narail district, Jessore, Bangladesh in a vaishnava family. His father’s name was Ramacharan Das. According to the choice of his father, the baby’s name became Umapati. After six months, during the grain ceremony in which the baby is first fed grains (annaprasana) and is tested for its natural inclination (ruci-pariksa), Umapati picked up the Srimad Bhagavatam which indicated his future spiritual pursuits that manifested in him closely assisting Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur was a pioneer in spreading the message of pure loving devotion around the world as taught by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
In 1911, Umapati passed his secondary school exams. Due to his father’s physical departure and the poor financial condition of the family, Umapati was unable to continue his higher education. He found a job at Kolkata General Post Office through which he could financially help his family. During the time that he used to work in Kolkata, he met with a great spiritual personality (phakir-veshi). After meeting this person, Umapati became inspired to find a genuine spiritual master. He visited so many spiritual institutions in order to find a genuine spiritual master. In 1915, on the day of Srila Gaurakishore Das Babaji Maharaj’s disappearance at the bank of the Ganga river, Umapati heard glories of Lord Hari from Bimala Prasad (who would later be known as Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur). In the same year, Umapati took shelter of Bimala Prasad along with his family.
Umapati received the name Kunjabihari Das. After initiation, Kunjabihari Prabhu used to offer all of the income that he would earn to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Prabhupada used to maintain Kunjabihari Prabhu’s family. According to the direction of Srila Prabhupada, Kunjabihari Prabhu began to study various Vedic philosophies (darshan-sastra). Srila Prabhupada gave him the title Acharyatrik Mahamahopadeshak Sri Kunjabihari Vidyabhushan Bhagavataratna which means he was the super great spiritual advisor jewel amongst the pure devotees and the ornament of divine knowledge. In 1918, Srila Prabhupada completed his vow of chanting one billion holy names (sata-koti-nama-yajna) and established Sri Caitanya Math at Mayapur. After that , Sri Kunjabihari Vidyabhushan requested Srila Prabhupada to come to Kolkata for spreading the loving message of Lord Caitanya at the Bhaktivinoda-asana located at Ultadanga Junction Road; this was the first preaching center in the city of Kolkata.
During this time, while trying to maintain the services of guru and vaishnavas, Kunjabihari Prabhu was put into so much financial debt. Kunjabihari Prabhu went out of Bengal to make money in order to pay back his debt. On the order of Srila Prabhupada, Kunjabihari Prabhu came back and engaged his life in spreading the loving message of Lord Caitanya. In a short period of time, many pious, intelligent people from various places came and took shelter of Srila Prabhupada. Even the extremely miserly Jagadish Babu took shelter of Srila Prabhupada and sponsored the entire construction of the Bag Bazar Gaudiya Math. At that time, all of the sannyasis and brahmacharis of the Gaudiya Math used to address Kunjabihari Vidyabhushan as Kunja Da. He was the administrator of the Gaudiya Math. Once, Srila Prabhupada expressed, “All glories to Sriman Kunjabihari Vidyabhushan! If his assistants can follow in his footsteps, then they will attain great auspiciousness.” In brief, we can say that Kunja Da was the embodiment of guru-seva and was one who was most dear to his guru.
I would like to mention one incident for understanding Srila Prabhupada’s intimate relation with Kunja Da. Once, Srila Prabhupada got severe stomach pain. The assistants surrounding Srila Prabhupada were applying a hot pack on his stomach but there was no benefit. Srila Bhakti Hridoy Bon Goswami Maharaja decided to call Kunja Babu. As soon as Kunja Babu arrived in Srila Prabhupada’s room, Srila Prabhupada embraced Kunja Babu and miraculously became cured from the severe pain. Also, in the Gaudiya magazine, there is much glorification of Kunja Babu by Bhakti Hrdoy Bon Goswami Maharaja, Bhakti Pradipa Tirtha Goswami Maharaja, Sripad Sundarananda Prabhu, Sripad Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu, Sripad Pranavananda Prabhu, Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Goswami Maharaja and others. Srila Kunjabihari Vidyabhushan followed in the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada at every step in life.
12 years after Srila Prabhupada’s physical disappearance, Kunjabihari Vidyabhushan took sannyasa initiation from Bhakti Vijnana Ashrama Goswami Maharaja through the inspiration and in the presence of many of his sannyasi and brahmachari godbrothers at Srila Prabhupada’s samadhi mandir. He got the name Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaja and eventually became acharya of Sri Caitanya Math and its branches. Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaja tried to continue all of the initiatives that Srila Prabhupada had started and also made various temples like Purusottama Gaudiya Math in Puri, Madanmohan Gaudiya Math in Vrindavan, Caitanya Research Institute in Kolkata, Gaudiya Math at Diamond Harbor and so on. He also established Ray Ramananda’s deity and the lotus footprints of Lord Caitanya at Kavvur along the banks of the Godavari River. With his best ability, he established many temples in India. He installed deities and lotus footprints of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in many parts of India. He also made exhibitions of Lord Caitanya in various cities such as Kolkata, Dhaka, Patna, Kashi and so on.
On Friday, 10th September 1976 at 3:20 pm, Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaja physically passed away and left behind his visible transcendental body at Srila Prabhupada’s bhajan kutir in the presence of many Gaudiya Math brahmacharis and sannyasis. Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaja’s entire spiritual life gives us the example of gurudevatma – in other words, dedicating one’s life completely to the desire of the spiritual master. We know Srila Prabhupada’s eternal form is Nayanamani Manjari. Srila Prabhupada revealed Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaja’s spiritual identity as Bimala Manjari.