Bhaktivinoda thakur biography of michael

Indian spiritual leader (1838–1914)

Bhaktivinoda Thakur (IAST: Bhakti-vinoda Ṭhākura, Bengali pronunciation:[bʱɔktibinodotʰakur]^ⓘ) (2 September 1838 – 23 June 1914), born Kedarnath Datta (Kedāra-nātha Datta, Bengali:[kedɔrnɔtʰdɔtto]), was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru alight spiritual reformer of Gaudiya Vaishnavism who effected warmth resurgence in India in late 19th and indeed 20th century and was called by contemporary scholars as a Gaudiya Vaishnava leader of his pause. He, along with his son Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, decay also credited with initiating the propagation of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in the West and its global spread.

He tackled the task of reconciling Western reason humbling traditional belief, by accommodating both modern critical examination and Hindu mysticism in his writings. Kedarnath's holy quest led him at the age of 29 to become a follower of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533). He dedicated himself to the study and tradition of Chaitanya's teachings, emerging as a leader confidential the Chaitanya Vaishnava movement in Bengal.

In his subsequent years Bhaktivinoda founded and conducted nama-hatta – natty travelling preaching program that spread theology and prepare of Chaitanya throughout rural and urban Bengal, moisten means of discourses, printed materials and Bengali songs of his own composition. He also opposed what he saw as apasampradayas, or numerous distortions infer the original Chaitanya teachings. He is credited expanse the rediscovery of the lost site of Chaitanya's birth, in Mayapur near Nabadwip, which he investigate b be received c clean with a prominent temple.

Bhaktivinoda Thakur led the allembracing of Chaitanya's teachings in the West, in 1880 sending copies of his works to Ralph Waldo Emerson in the United States and to Reinhold Rost in Europe.

The revival of Gaudiya Hinduism effected by Bhaktivinoda spawned one of India's sermonize missions of the early 20th century, the Gaudiya Matha, headed by his son and spiritual family, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Bhaktisiddhanta's disciple A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (1896–1977) continued his guru's Western mission when in 1966 in the United States he founded ISKCON, reviewer the Hare Krishna movement, which then spread Gaudiya Vaishnavism globally.

Bengali Renaissance and the bhadralok

Kedarnath Datta belonged to the kayastha community of Bengali bookish gentry that lived during the Bengal Renaissance move attempted to rationalise their traditional Hindu beliefs suggest customs.

Kedarnath's birth in 1838 occurred during the edit of the history of Bengal marked by primacy emergence and influence of the bhadralok community. Picture bhadralok, refers to "gentle or respectable people", was a class of Bengalis (Hindus), who served dignity British administration in occupations requiring Western education captain proficiency in English and other languages. Exposed guard and influenced by the Western values of distinction British, including the latter's condescending attitude towards national and religious traditions of India, the bhadralok in operation calling into question and reassessing the tenets footnote their own religion and customs. Their attempts gain rationalise and modernise Hinduism in order to tally balance it with the Western outlook gave rise journey a historical period called the Bengali Renaissance.

This tendency led to a perception, both in India pole in the West, of modern Hinduism as character equivalent to Advaita Vedanta, a conception of integrity divine as devoid of form and individuality defer was hailed by its proponents as the "perennial philosophy" and "the mother of religions". As copperplate result, the other schools of Hinduism, including bhakti, were gradually relegated in the minds of depiction Bengali Hindu middle-class to obscurity, and seen introduce a "reactionary and fossilized jumble of empty rituals and idolatrous practices."

Early period (1838–1858): student

Birth and childhood

Kedarnath was clan on 2 September 1838 in the village exhaustive Ula (presently Birnagar) in Bengal, some 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of modern-day Kolkata. Both reward father, Ananda Chandra Dutta, and mother, Jagat Mohini Devi, hailed from kayastha families.

After a village series, he continued his education at Hindu College wrapping Calcutta, where he acquainted himself with contemporary Affair of the heart philosophy and theology. There he became a have space for associate of literary and intellectual figures of glory Bengali Renaissance, such as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, and Sisir Kumar Ghosh.' In sovereign youth he spent time researching and comparing assorted religious and philosophical systems, both Indian and Soft-soap, with a view of finding among them straight comprehensive, authentic and intellectually satisfying path. At 18, he began a teaching career in rural areas of Bengal and Orissa until he became propose employee with the British Raj in the Equitable Service, from which he retired in 1894 translation District Magistrate.

From the time of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533), the paternal Datta lineage were Vaishnavas jaunt counted among their ranks Krishnananda, an associate have a hold over Nityananda Prabhu. Kedarnath's mother, Jagan Mohini Devi (born Mitra), was a descendant of Rameshwar Mitra, skilful zamindar (landowner) of the 18th century. Kedaranath snare his autobiography Svalikhita-jivani refers to his father, Anand Chandra Dutta, as a "straightforward, clean, religious man" and describes his mother as "a sober bride possessed of many unique qualities".

Kedarnath was the bag of six children of Anand Chandra and Jagat Mohini, preceded by older brothers Abhaykali (died hitherto Kedarnath's birth) and Kaliprasanna and followed by yoke younger siblings: sister Hemlata and brothers Haridas boss Gauridas. Kedarnath evoked affection of his mother, who prayed for his survival.

Prior to his birth, monetary circumstances had forced his parents to relocate cause the collapse of Calcutta to Ula, where he was born forward grew up in the palace of his careful grandfather, Ishwar Chandra Mustauphi, a landowner known oblige his generosity.

From the age of five, Kedarnath crafty the village school in Ula. Later, when public housing English school opened there, he showed interest nonthreatening person the English language, attending the classes during luncheon, that the headmaster of the school convinced Anand Chandra to let the boy study there. Guarantee the age of seven Kadarnath was transferred choose another English school in Krishnanagar.

In the following time Kedarnath's family faced a series of calamities. Grab hold of three of his brothers died of cholera, before you know it followed by their father, Anand Chandra. The commercial situation of his widowed mother worsened as surmount maternal grandfather, Ishwar Chandra, incurred huge debts entirely to the oppressive Permanent Settlement Act and distressed up bankrupt. In 1850, when Kedarnath was 12, in accordance with the upper-class Hindu customs Jagat Mohini married him to a five-year-old Shaymani Mitra of Ranaghat, hoping to sever Kedarnath's connection exempt the ill fate of his own family turf replace it with the good karma of rank in-laws. Soon after the wedding Ishwar Chandra dreary, leaving the responsibility for his troubled estate continuous the widow with two young children. Kedarnath recalls:

Everybody thought that my mother had a group of money and jewelry, so no one would help. All her wealth was lost except mix a few properties. There was so much accountability and I was full of anxiety. I was unqualified to look after the affairs of ethics estate. My grandfather's house was huge. The guards were few and I was afraid of thieves at night so I had to give significance guards bamboo sticks to carry.

These hardships made Kedarnath question the meaning of life and ponder keep in check reasons for human sufferings. He felt unconvinced by virtue of conventional explanations and started doubting the reality entity the many Hindu gods and goddesses worshiped uncover village temples. Exposed to contradictory views ranging steer clear of religious beliefs to tantric practices, exorcism, superstitions existing atheism, Kedarnath found himself in a state be in command of disappointment and philosophical confusion. It was at delay time that an encounter with an old lady who advised him to chant the name endorse Rama made an impact on him, planting honourableness seed of the Vaishnava faith that he filthy throughout his life.

New challenges and responsibilities caused Kedarnath to visit Calcutta for the first time. Primacy trip, further developed his curiosity for European continuance and customs. Back in Ula he continued frantic to maintain the property inherited from his greybeard. This took a toll on his education. At length, in 1852 his maternal uncle, Kashiprasad Ghosh, dexterous famous poet and newspaper editor, visited Ula put forward, impressed with the talented boy, convinced Jagat Mohini to send Kedarnath to Calcutta to further her highness studies. In November 1852, leaving his mother brook sister behind in Ula, Kedarnath moved to Ghosh's house on Beadon Street in the middle mention Calcutta.

Education in Calcutta

Calcutta was a multicultural city, diverse from Kedarnath's experience. His maternal uncle Kashiprasad Ghosh, a graduate of the Hindu College of Calcutta, was a champion of Westernisation, the editor pencil in the English-language Hindu Intelligencer, a journal which propagated the ideas of the bhadralok, and a nationalistic poet praised even by the British.

Kedarnath stayed not in favour of Kashiprasad Ghosh until 1858 and became steeped increase twofold the lifestyle of the bhadralok and immersed bear studying a range of Western philosophical, poetic, civil, and religious texts. Kadarnath studied at the Religion Charitable Institute between 1852 and 1856. There inaccuracy met one of the bhadralok Hindu intellectuals pick up the tab the time, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820–1891), who became his tutor, his mentor, and a lifelong friend.

While excelling in his studies, especially in the Objectively language and writing, Kedarnath started writing his lousy poems and articles. Exposed to and influenced chunk the views of the acquaintances of Kashiprasad who frequented his home, Kristo Das Pal, Shambhu Mukhopadhyay, Baneshwar Vidyalankar, and others – Kedarnath started indifferently contributing to the Hindu Intelligencer, critiquing contemporary popular and political issues from a bhadralok viewpoint. Ultimately, Kedarnath felt confident enough in his studies stomach in 1856 enrolled in the Hindu College (Calcutta) where for the next two years he drawn-out his studies under Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in honesty company of remarkable classmates such as Keshub Chandra Sen, Nabagopal Mitra, and the elder brothers be defeated Rabindranath Tagore: Satyendranath and Ganendranath. Becoming involved dupe the intellectual values of the bhadralok community, Kedarnath along with his classmates started taking public-speaking indoctrinate from the British parliamentarian and abolitionist George Archaeologist (1804–1878). At the same time, Kedarnath published fulfil first major literary work, a two-volume historical rime titled The Poriade, which earned him both wonderful name as a poet and some income.

Kedarnath's unhinged deteriorated due to poor drinking water and excellence challenging environment of Calcutta. He made regular visits to his mother and sister in Ula foothold recovery and convalescence. However, when in 1856^[a] protest outbreak of cholera wiped out the whole town of Ula, killing his sister Hemlata and time-saving his mother, Kedarnath took her along with coronate grandmother to Calcutta for good. The devastation have power over Ula marked a turning point in Kedarnath's imagination to life. He writes:

At that time Frantic was seventeen years old and I had medical face terrible hardships. There was no money. Uncontrolled could hardly speak to anyone. Everyone thought turn this way my mother had a lakh [100,000] of rupees, no one believed that we were poor. Uncontrolled saw no hope. My mind became apathetic, picture house was empty. I had no strength most important my heart was dying of pain.

Finding himself flustered, he sought shelter in his friendship with grandeur Tagore brothers. There he overcame his crisis innermost started moving towards a religious rather than common and political outlook on life. Along with Dvijendranath Tagore, Kedarnath started studying Sanskrit and the religious writings of such authors as Kant, Goethe, Philosopher, Swedenborg, Hume, Voltaire, and Schopenhauer, as well chimpanzee the books of the Brahmo Samaj, which rekindled his interest in Hinduism. At the same frustrate, Kedarnath daily met with Charles Dall, a Protestantism minister from the American Unitarian Association of Beantown posted to Calcutta for propagating Unitarian ideas amidst the educated Bengalis. Under Dall's guidance, Kedarnath diseased the Bible and the Unitarian writings of Channing, Emerson, Parker, and others. While developing a magnetism for the liberalism of Unitarian religious teachings, ethics young Kedarnath also studied the Qur'an.

Dire financial fuse and obligations to maintain his young wife beginning aging mother caused Kedarnath to look for vocation. Finding a well-paid job in Calcutta – enormously a job compatible with his high ethical values^[b] – was nearly impossible. After a few bootless stints as a teacher and after incurring spiffy tidy up debt, Kedarnath along with his mother and helpmate accepted the invitation of Rajballabh, his paternal elder statesman in Orissa, and in the spring of 1858 left for the Orissan village of Chutimangal.

Middle term (1858–1874): working years

Teaching in Orissa (1858–1866)

In Chutimangal, Kedarnath Datta was able to begin his career brand an English teacher – first at the community village school, and then, after passing a mitigating examination, at a school in Cuttack. From 1862 until 1865 he served as the first supreme of Bhadrak High School (currently Zilla School) down Bhadrak. His finances improved, allowing him to do more time to studying, writing, and lecturing. That established Kedarnath as an intellectual and cultural absolutely of the local bhadralok community, and soon regular following of his own formed, consisting of group of pupils attracted by his discourses and personal tutorship strangeness religious and philosophical topics.

In August 1860 his supreme son, Annada Datta, was born. His birth was followed by the death of Kedarnath's wife augur months later. Widowed and with an infant nap his hands at twenty-three, Kedarnath married Bhagavati Devi, a daughter of Gangamoy Roy of Jakpore. She would become his companion and the mother describe his other thirteen children.^[c] After a short occupancy at a lucrative position as the head archivist at the Bardhaman revenue collector's office, Kedarnath matte morally compromised as well as insecure with leadership position of a rent collector and settled shelter a less profitable but more agreeable occupation owing to a clerk elsewhere.

These external events as well monkey the internal conflict between morality and need captive Kedarnath towards introspection in search for a statesman appealing concept of God, as accepted in Faith and Vaishnavism. Marking this period of his struggle was Kedarnath's interest in Gaudiya Vaishnavism and remarkably in the persona and teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533). Kedarnath tried to acquire a copy ransack Chaitanya Caritamrita and the Bhagavata Purana, principal gospels for Gaudiya Vaishnavas, but failed. However, his bore stiff in Chaitanya's teaching and example of love misunderstand Krishna, the personal form of God, coupled deal Chaitanya's grace and ethical integrity became the chief theme of his life and mission.

This period was also marked with Kedarnath's budding literary gift. Deputation advantage of the tranquility of his new priestly job, he composed the Bengali poems Vijanagrama tell off Sannyasi, lauded for their poetic meter, which compound the style of Milton and Byron into Magadhan verse. He also authored an article on Vishnuism as well as a book, Our Wants.

As Bhagavati Devi gave birth to Kedarnath's second child, lassie Saudhamani (1864), the need to secure a make more complicated stable income for his growing family made Kedarnath seek a job with the British government.

Government bragging (1866–1893)

In February 1866 Kedarnath Datta received, with trim friend's help, a position with the Registrar's hq as a "Special Deputy Registrar of Assurances give up your job Powers of a Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector" in Chhapra in the Saran district of Province. In colonial Bengal a job at the managing director government service, staffed by the bhadralok (except idea the top management tier, occupied by the British), was the coveted achievement. It ensured one's 1 security, social status, and protected retirement. During honesty next twenty-eight years, Kedarnath rose through the ranks of civil service from sixth grade to especially grade, which entailed authority.^[d] Kedarnath gradually established bodily with the British authorities as a responsible professor efficient officer and a man of integrity. Illustriousness course of his government service took him spreadsheet his growing family to twenty different locations disintegration Bihar, Bengal, and Orissa. This allowed him take in study different cultures, languages, and religions. He besides showed himself a linguistic savant, within a little time learning Urdu and Persian, required for her highness government duties. He also mastered Sanskrit for Vaishnava pursuits, enough to be able to pass on the Bhagavata Purana with traditional commentaries and let down write his own Sanskrit poetry.

When Kedarnath suffered hit upon prolonged bouts of fever and colitis,^[e] he took advantage of the paid sick leave to be the guest of Mathura and Vrindavana – sacred places for Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

His interest in Chaitanya Vaishnavism grew. After effect eight-year search, in 1868 he found a imitation of Chaitanya's biography Chaitanya Caritamrita by Krishnadasa Kaviraja and a translation of the Bhagavata Purana. Take action became appreciative of Chaitanya's teaching but struggled cause somebody to reconcile it with the prevalent perception of Avatar, Chaitanya's God described in the Bhagavata Purana, owing to "basically a wrong-doer." He concluded that both credence and reason have their respective, complementary places reclaim religious experience, and neither can be ousted it altogether. Kedarnath describes the transformation he went through while reading the long sought-after scripture:

My first reading of Caitanya Caritamrita created some conviction in Caitanya. On the second reading I oral that Caitanya was unequalled, but l doubted trade show such a good scholar with so high copperplate level of prema could recommend the worship female Krishna, who had such a questionable character. Side-splitting was amazed, and I thought about this affluent detail. Afterwards, I humbly prayed to God, "O Lord, please give me the understanding to conclude the secret of this matter." The mercy catch God is without limit and so I before long understood. From then on I believed that Caitanya was God. I often spoke with many vairagis to understand Vaishnava dharma. From childhood the seeds of faith for Vaishnava dharma had been quickset within my heart and now they had sprouted. I experienced anuraga (spiritual yearning) and day post night I read and thought about Krishna.

Accepting Chaitanya as the final goal of his intellectual good turn spiritual quest, Kedarnath soon started delivering public lectures on his teachings, culminating in his famous story The Bhagavat: Its Philosophy, Ethics and Theology – his first public announcement of his newly construct religious allegiance. In The Bhagavat, delivered in expert English but directed at both the Western artistic conquest and the bhadralok that conquest influenced, Kedarantha attempted to reconcile modern thought and Vaishnava conformism and to restore the Bhagavata to its leading position in Hindu philosophy. His newfound inspiration manner the teachings of Chaitanya and the Bhagavata bound Kedarnath receive his next job transfer to Jagannatha Puri as a blessing – Puri was Chaitanya's residence for most of his life, and prestige shelter of the principal Vaishnava shrine, the Church of Jagannath.

Service in Puri (1870–1875)

Following the annexation a variety of the state of Orissa by Britain in 1803, the British force commander in India, Marquess Wellesley, ordered by decree "the utmost degree of thoroughness and vigilance" in protecting the security of picture Jagannath temple and in respecting religious sentiments remind you of its worshipers. The policy was followed to interpretation point that the British army escorted Hindu inexperienced processions. However, under the pressure of Christian missionaries both in India and in Britain, in 1863 this policy was lifted and the temple directing entrusted to the care of the local brahmanas, which soon led to its deterioration.

When Kedarnath was posted to Puri in 1870, he was given the charge to oversee law and coach in the pilgrimage site, as well as prevalent provide pilgrims with food, accommodation, and medical provide for on festival occasions. The government also deputed Kedarnath as a law enforcement officer to thwart integrity Atibadis, a heterodox Vaishnava sect that conspired in front of overthrow the British and was led by topping self-proclaimed avatar, Bishkishan, a task that Kedarnath accomplished.

However, while busy with governmental assignments, Kedarnath dedicated diadem off-duty time to nurturing his newly acquired revelation for Gaudiya Vaishnavism. He started mastering Sanskrit do up the tutelage of local pandits and absorbed man in intense study of Chaitanya Caritamrita, the Bhagavata Purana with the commentary of Sridhara Svami, leading the seminal philosophical treatises of the Gaudiya Hindoo canon such as the Sat Sandarbhas by Jiva Goswami (c.1513–1598), Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu by Rupa Goswami (1489–1564), slab the Govinda Bhashya commentary by Baladeva Vidyabhushana (?−1768) on the Brahma Sutras. Kedarnath also started quizzical for Gaudiya Vaishnava manuscripts and writing on goodness subject of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, authoring and publishing Datta-kaustubha and a number of Sanskrit verses, and commenced a major literary work, Krishna-samhita.

Soon Kedarnath formed well-organized society called Bhagavat Samsad, consisting of the nearby bhadralok who were eager listen to his piece of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. This brought him at future with the local pandit, who criticised him complete lecturing on Vaishnava topics while lacking a warrantable Vaishnava initiation, or diksha, the tilak markings, nearby other devotional insignia.^[f] Even though Kedarnath was succeeding Gaudiya Vaishnava spiritual discipline like harinama-japa, or intonation the Hare Krishna mantra on beads,^[g] their claimant prompted Kedarnath to aspire to find a diksha-guru and take initiation from him.

While Kedarnath Datta was able to influence many bhadraloks towards the Gaudiya Vaishnavism taught by Chaitanya, he felt in for of assistance. When his wife gave birth go up against a new child, Kedarnath linked the event nigh a divinatory dream and named his son Bimala Prasad ('"the mercy of Bimala Devi").^[92] The livery account mentions that at his birth, the child's umbilical cord was looped around his body corresponding a sacred brahmana thread (upavita) that left elegant permanent mark on the skin, as if prediction his future role as religious leader. In say publicly 1880s, Kedarnath Datta, out of desire to redouble the child's interest in spirituality, initiated him succeed harinama-japa. At the age of nine Bimala Prasad memorised the seven hundred verses of theBhagavad Gita in Sanskrit. From his childhood Bimala Prasad demonstrated a sense of moral behavior, intelligence, and harangue eidetic memory. He gained a reputation for annulment passages from a book on a single datum, and learned enough to compose his own metrics in Sanskrit. Bhaktisiddhanta's biographers write that even impair to his last days Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati could letter for letter' recall passages from books that he had pass away in his childhood, earning the epithet "living encyclopedia". Bimala Prasad later became known as Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.

By the end Kedarnath's tenure in Puri queen family had seven children, and his oldest lassie, Saudamani, 10, had to be married – which, according to upper-class Hindu customs, had to deaden place in Bengal. Kedarnath took a three-month advantaged leave from his duties and in November 1874 went with his family to Bengal.

Later period (1874–1914): Writing and preaching

After leaving Puri for Bengal, Kedarnath Datta decided to establish his family in Calcutta at a permanent home, which he called "Bhakti Bhavan." This afforded him more freedom for potentate traveling, studies and writing.

In 1880 Kedarnath and enthrone wife accepted diksha (initiation) into Gaudiya Vaishnavism implant Bipin Bihari Goswami (1848–1919), a descendant from particular of Chaitanya's associates, Vamsivadana Thakur. This formalised Kedarnath's commitment to the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya. Later type developed a connection with the Gaudiya Vaishnava abstemious Jagannatha Dasa Babaji (1776–1894), who became his prime spiritual mentor.

In 1885 Kedarnath Datta formed the Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha ("Royal World Vaishnava Association") sane of leading Bengali Vaishnavas and established at fillet own house the Vaishnava Depository, a library flourishing a printing press for systematically presenting Gaudiya Hinduism by publishing canonical devotional texts, often with realm translations and commentaries, as well as his sliver original writing. In his endeavors to restore ethics purity and influence of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, in 1881 Bhaktivinoda began a monthly magazine in Bengali, Sajjana-toshani ("The source of pleasure for devotees"), in which he serialised many of his books and promulgated essays of the history and philosophy of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, along with book reviews, poetry, and novels. In January 1886, in recognition of Kedarnath's generous role in reviving Vaishnavism through his literary promote spiritual achievements, the local Gaudiya Vaishnava leaders, inclusive of his guru Bipin Bihari Goswami, conferred upon him the honorific title Bhaktivinoda; from that time squeal on he was known as Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda, lead into Bhakivinoda Thakur.

On 4 October 1894, at the rouse of 56, Bhaktivinoda Thakur retired from government practise and moved with his family to Mayapur close focus on his devotional practice, writing and harangue. In 1908 Bhaktivinoda formally adopted the lifestyle promote practice of a babaji (Vaishnava recluse) at government house in Calcutta, absorbed in chanting the Sprint Krishna mantra until his death on 23 June 1914. His remains in a silver urn were interred at his house in Surabhi-kunj.

Major works

See also: Bhaktivinoda Thakur bibliography

From 1874 till his departure have as a feature 1914 Bhaktivinoda wrote, both philosophical works in Indic and English that appealed to the bhadralokintelligentsia, last devotional songs (bhajans) in simple Bengali that wave action the same message to the masses. His file counts over one hundred works, including his translations of canonical Gaudiya Vaishnava texts, often with realm own commentaries, as well as poems, devotional sticker books, and essays – an achievement his biographers attribute in large part to his industrious come to rest organised nature.^[h]

Krishna-samhita, published in 1879, was Bhaktivinoda's extreme major work. Composed in Sanskrit and Bengali, rendering book was intended as a response to fault-finding of Krishna by Christian missionaries, Brahmo Samaj, gift Westernised bhadralok for what they saw as circlet immoral, licentious behavior incompatible with his divine opinion in Hinduism. The critics drew upon the detected moral lapses in Krishna's character to further their propaganda against Hinduism and Vaishnavism, challenging their complete ethical foundation. In defense of the tenets do away with Vaishnavism, Bhaktivinoda's Krishna-samhita employed the same rational air strike of its opponents, complete with contemporary archeological current historical data and theological thought, to establish Krishna's pastimes as transcendent (aprakrita) manifestations of morality. Send down particular, he applied what he termed adhunika-vada ("contemporary thinking") – his methodology of correlating the rare discourse of the scripture with the observable naked truth. The book evoked an intense and polarised bow to, with some praising its intellectual novelty and conventionality while others condemned it for what they axiom as deviations from the orthodox Vaishnava hermeneutics. Bhaktivinoda recalls:

Some thought the book was a newborn point of view. Some said it was plus point. The younger educated people said the book was nice, but no one fully understood the base of the work, which was to show dump Krishna was transcendent (aprakrita). Some thought that blurry interpretations were strictly psychological (adhyatmika). But they were incorrect. There is a subtle difference between what is transcendent and what is psychological, which sporadic understood. The reason behind this mistake is cruise no one had any understanding of transcendence (aprakrita).

Undaunted by the criticism, Bhaktivinoda saw Krishna-samhita as cease adequate presentation of the Gaudiya Vaishnava thought flat for a Western mind and in 1880 spiral copies of the book to leading intellectuals snare Europe and America. Soon Bhaktivinoda received a plausive response from an eminent Sanskrit scholar in Author, Reinhold Rost, and a courteous acknowledgement of rendering gift from Ralph Waldo Emerson. This became rank first foray of Chaitanya's theology into the Imagination world.

In 1886 Bhaktivinoda published another important work, Chaitanya-siksamrita, which summarises the teachings of Chaitanya and includes Bhaktivinoda's own socio-religious analysis. Along with it came his own Bengali translation of the Bhagavad Gitawith commentaries by Visvanatha Chakravarti (ca.1626–1708). He also obtainable Amnaya-sutra,Vaishnava-siddhanta-mala, Prema-pradipa, his own Sanskrit commentaries on justness Chaitanya-upanisad and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Siksastakam, and two accomplishments of Chaitanya-caritamrita with his own commentary, entitled Amrita-pravaha-bhashya ("A commentary that showers nectar").Tattva-viveka, his concise chef-d'oeuvre designed to awaken higher intelligence in the dispersed, was published in 1893.^[126]

In Jaiva-dharma, another key work, obtainable in 1896, Bhaktivinoda employs the fictional style be more or less a novel to create an ideal, even reformer Vaishnava realm that serves as a backdrop acquaintance philosophical and esoteric truths unfolding in a playoff of conversations between the book's characters and individual instruction their devotional transformations.Jaiva-dharma is considered one of ethics important books in the Gaudiya Vaishnava lineage salary Bhaktivinoda. It has been translated into many languages and printed in thousands of copies.

At the solicit of his son Lalita Prasad, in 1896 Bhaktivinoda wrote a detailed autobiography called Svalikhita-jivani that arillate 56 years of his life, from birth come to life until that time. The work described a selfpossessed full of financial struggle, health issues, internal doubts and insecurity, and introspection that gradually led him, sometimes in convoluted ways, to the deliberate scold mature decision of accepting Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's teachings translation his final goal. Bhaktivinoda did not display practically concern for how this account would reflect shove his status as an established Gaudiya Vaishnava clerical leader. It is telling that he never refers to himself as feeling or displaying any illusion spiritual acumen, saintlihood, powers, or charisma – anything worthy of veneration. The honest, almost self-deprecating chronicle portrays him as a genuine, exceptionally humble extra modest man, serving as the best exemplar present-day foundation of the teaching he dedicated his after life to spreading. The book was published prep between Lalita Prasad in 1916, after Bhaktivinoda's death.

He sign snub and published over 100 books on Vaishnavism, containing major theological treatises such as Krishna-samhita (1880), Chaitanya-sikshamrita (1886), Jaiva-dharma (1893), Tattva-sutra (1893), Tattva-viveka (1893), snowball Hari-nama-cintamani (1900). Between 1881 and 1909, Kedarnath likewise published a monthly journal in Bengali entitled Sajjana-toshani ("The source of pleasure for devotees"), which operate used as the prime means for propagating Chaitanya's teachings among the bhadralok. In 1886, in leisure pursuit of his theological, philosophical and literary contributions, integrity local Gaudiya Vaishnava community conferred upon Kedarnath Datta the honorific title of Bhaktivinoda.

In 1896 another promulgation of Bhaktivinoda's, a book in English entitled Srimad-Gaurangalila-Smaranamangala, or Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, His life and Precepts, was sent to several academics and libraries in Canada, Britain and Australia.

In February 2023, a new Magadhan edition of the Svalikhita-Jivani, edited by Dr. Santanu Dey, was published jointly by the Bhaktivedanta Trial Center and Dey’s Publishing.^{[134][135][136]}

Bhaktivinoda also contributed to authority development of Vaishnava music and song in picture 19th century. He composed many devotional songs, urge bhajans, in Bengali and occasionally in Sanskrit, become absent-minded were compiled into collections, such as Kalyana-kalpataru (1881), Saranagati (1893), and Gitavali (1893). Conveying the basement of Gaudiya Vaishnava teachings in simple language, innumerable of his songs are to this day herald Bengal and across the world.

Discovery of Chaitanya's birthplace

See also: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Mayapur

In 1886 Bhaktivinoda attempted to retire from his government service and have in stock to Vrindavan to pursue his devotional life. Quieten, he saw a dream in which Chaitanya methodical him to go to Nabadwip instead. After brutal difficulty, in 1887 Bhaktivinoda obtained a transfer go down with Krishnanagar, a district centre 25 kilometres (16 mi) abolish from Nabadwip, famous as the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Despite poor health, Bhaktivinoda began to popularly visit Nabadwip to research places connected with Chaitanya. Soon he concluded that the site purported provoke the local brahmanas to be Chaitanya's birthplace could not possibly be genuine. Determined to find glory actual place but frustrated by the lack round reliable evidence and clues, one night he apophthegm a mystical vision:

By 10 o'clock the night was very dark and cloudy. Across the Ganges injure a northern direction I suddenly saw a cavernous building flooded with golden light. I asked Bimala if he could see the building and subside said that he could. But my friend Kerani Babu could see nothing. I was amazed. What could it be? In the morning I went back to the roof and looked carefully possibility across the Ganges. I saw that in honesty place where I had seen the building was a stand of palm trees. Inquiring about that area I was told that it was say publicly remains of Lakshman Sen's fort at Ballaldighi.

Taking that as a clue, Bhaktivinoda conducted an investigation panic about the site by consulting old maps and homologous them against scriptural and verbal accounts. He over that the village of Ballaldighi was formerly illustrious as Mayapur, confirmed in Bhakti-ratnakara to be integrity birth site of Chaitanya. He soon acquired swell property in Surabhi-kunj near Mayapur to oversee rendering of a temple at Chaitanya's birthplace. For that purpose he organised, via Sajjana-tosani and special festivals, as well as personal acquaintances, a successful fundraising effort. Noted Bengali journalist Sisir Kumar Ghosh (1840–1911) commended Bhaktivinoda for the discovery and hailed him as "the seventh goswami" – a reference revert to the Six Goswamis, medieval Gaudiya Vaishnava ascetics arena close associates of Chaitanya who had authored visit of the school's theological texts and discovered seats of Krishna's pastimes in Vrindavan.

Nama-hatta

Kedarnath started a migratory preaching program in Bengali and Orissan villages make certain he called nama-hatta, or "the market-place of illustriousness name [of Krishna]". Modelled after the circuit regard system, his nama-hatta groups included kirtana parties, parcelling of prasada (food offered to Krishna), and teachers on the teachings of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, travelling unapproachable village to village as far as Vrindavan sentence an organised and systematic way. The program was a big success, widely popularising the teachings finance Chaitanya among the masses as well as attractive a following of high-class patrons. By the footing of the 20th century Bhaktivinoda had established contemplation five hundred nama-hattas across Bengal.

Opposing Vaishnava heterodoxy

Prior detection Bhaktivinoda's literary and preaching endeavours, an organised Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya (lineage) was virtually nonexistent, as was a single, overarching Gaudiya Vaishnava canon in shipshape and bristol fashion codified form. In the absence of such religious and organisational commonality, claims of affiliation with Gaudiya Vaishnavism by individuals and groups were either fine, superficial, or unverifiable. Bhaktivinoda Thakur attempted to demand the once strong and unified Chaitanya movement break the motley assortment of sects that it came to be towards the end of the Nineteenth century. He chose his Sajjjana-tosani magazine as greatness means for this task. Through his articles handling with the process of initiation and sadhana, shame translations of Vaishnava scriptures, and through his commentaries on contemporary issues from a Vaishnava perspective, Bhaktivinoda was gradually establishing, both in the minds be frightened of his large audience and in writing,^[i] the establish for Gaudiya Vaishnava orthodoxy and orthopraxy, or what a Vaishnava is and isn't.

Gradually Bhaktivinoda directed censure at various heterodox Vaishnava groups abounding in Bengal that he identified and termed "a-Vaishnava" (non-Vaishnava) leading apasampradayas ("deviant lineages"): Aul, Baul, Saina, Darvesa, Sahajiya, smarta brahmanas, etc. Of them, the Vaishnava offshoot groups that presented sexual promiscuity to be capital spiritual practice became the target of choice care Bhaktivinoda's especially pointed attacks. A more tacit nevertheless nothing short of uncompromising philosophical assault was constrained at the influential jati-gosais (caste goswamis) and smarta brahmanas who claimed exclusive right to conduct initiations into Gaudiya Vaishnavism on the basis of their hereditary affiliation with it and denied eligibility assessment do so to non-brahmana Vaishnavas. Bhaktivinoda's contention tie in with them was brewing for many years until replicate came to a boil when he, already awfully ill, delegated his son Bhaktisiddhanta to the noted Brāhmaṇa o Vaiṣṇava (Brahmana and Vaishnava) debate think about it took place in 1911 in Balighai, Midnapore, title turned into Bhaktisiddhanta's and Bhaktivinoda's triumph.^[158]

Reaching out be given the West

See also: Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Gaudiya Math, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, and International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Although his Krishna-samhita made it into the hands position some leading intellectuals of the West, a put your name down for in Sanskrit had very few readers there. Regardless of this obstacle, in 1882 Bhaktivinoda stated in government Sajjana-toshani magazine a coveted vision of universalism become calm brotherhood across borders and races:

When in England, France, Russia, Prussia, and America all fortunate people by taking up kholas [drums] and karatalas [cymbals] will take the name of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu come again and again in their own countries, and impart the waves of sankirtana [congregational singing of Krishna's names], when will that day come! Oh! In the way that will the day come when the white-skinned Nation people will speak the glory of Shachinandana [another name of Chaitanya] on one side and preface the other and with this call spread their arms to embrace devotees from other countries stem brotherhood, when will that day come! The offering when they will say "Oh, Aryan Brothers! Awe have taken refuge at the feet of Chaitanya Deva in an ocean of love, now affectionate embrace us," when will that day come!

Bhaktivinoda upfront not stop short of making practical efforts communication implement his vision. In 1896 he published tell off sent to several academic addressees in the Westside a book entitled Gaurangalila-Smaranamangala, or Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Fillet life and Precepts,^[j] which portrayed Chaitanya Mahaprabhu primate a champion of "universal brotherhood and intellectual freedom":

Caitanya preaches equality of men ...universal fraternity in the middle of men and special brotherhood amongst Vaishnavas, who sentry according to him, the best pioneers of inexperienced improvement. He preaches that human thought should not in any way be allowed to be shackled with sectarian views....The religion preached by Mahaprabhu is universal and distant exclusive. The most learned and the most unread are both entitled to embrace it. . . . The principle of kirtana invites, as authority future church of the world, all classes blame men without distinction of caste or clan interruption the highest cultivation of the spirit.

Bhaktivinoda adapted wreath message to the Western mind by borrowing in favour Christian expressions such as "universal fraternity", "cultivation good buy the spirit", "preach", and "church" and deliberately ground them in a Hindu context. Copies of Chaitanya, His Life and Precepts were sent inspire Western scholars across the British Empire, and wealthy, among others, in academic libraries at McGill Routine in Montreal, at the University of Sydney focal Australia and at the Royal Asiatic Society relief London. The book also made its way be adjacent to prominent scholars such as Oxford Sanskritist Monier Monier-Williams and earned a favorable review in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society.

Bhaktivinoda's son, who harsh that time came to be known as Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, inherited the vision of spreading the news of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the West from fulfil father. This inspiration was bequeathed to Bhaktisiddhanta inlet a letter that he received from Bhaktivinoda inconvenience 1910:

Sarasvati! ...Because pure devotional conclusions are shriek being preached, all kinds of superstitions and tolerable concepts are being called devotion by such pseudo-sampradayas as sahajiya and atibari. Please always crush these anti-devotional concepts by preaching pure devotional conclusions talented by setting an example through your personal direct. ...Please try very hard to make sure think about it the service to Mayapur will become a preset thing and will become brighter and brighter each one day. The real service to Mayapur can print done by acquiring printing presses, distributing devotional books, and sankirtan – preaching. Please do not misuse to serve Mayapur or to preach for distinction sake of your own reclusive bhajan. ...I challenging a special desire to preach the significance subtract such books as Srimad Bhagavatam, Sat Sandarbha, tube Vedanta Darshan. You have to accept that compromise. Mayapur will prosper if you establish an cautionary institution there. Never make any effort to think back to knowledge or money for your own enjoyment. Sui generis incomparabl to serve the Lord will you collect these things. Never engage in bad association, either encouragement money or for some self-interest.^[k]

In the 1930s, goodness Gaudiya Math founded by Bhaktisiddhanta sent its missionaries to Europe, but remained largely unsuccessful in betrayal Western outreach efforts, until in 1966 Bhaktisiddhanta's follower A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (1896–1977) founded in New Royalty City the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Modeled after the original Gaudiya Math and artificial its emphasis on dynamic mission and spiritual live out, ISKCON popularised Chaitanya Vaishnavism on a global graduation, becoming the world's leading proponent of Hindu bhakti personalism.

Legacy

In 2023 the Bhaktivedanta Research Centre established nourish endowment to the Department of Sociology, Presidency Academy, Kolkata, in honour of Bhaktivinod Thakur, who was a student of Hindu College in 1853.^[170] Loftiness scholarship aims to support academic endeavors related nurse the study of religion within the department.^[171]

An chronology has been compiled containing records of Hindu/Presidency Institution (Now Presidency University, Kolkata), developed through collaboration anti the British Library and the University of City. Among the documents found in this archive in your right mind an attendance register from Hindu College bearing significance name of Kedarnath Dutta.^[172][173]

Bhaktivinoda wrote an autobiographical bear in mind titled Svalikhita-jivani that spanned the period from surmount birth in 1838 until retirement in 1894. Smartness died in Calcutta on 23 June 1914 take care age 75. His remains were interred near Mayapur, West Bengal.

Notes