Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu & His Vanchana Leela

Srila Ananta Vasudeva Paravidya Bhusana Prabhu

(Srimad Bhakti Prasada Puri Goswami Thakur)

Praṇāma-Mantra:

Namaḥ oṁ viṣṇupādāya gaurapreṣṭha svarūpiṇe |
śrīmad bhakti prasādākhya purī gosvāmine namaḥ || 

Sandarbhaloka dānenā bhakti dhvānta vināśine  |
Bhakti bījarpaṇenaiva sveṣṭa smṛti vidhāyine  ||

Bhāgavata rasāmbhodhau nirantarāvagāhine |
śrī rādhā mādhava prema projjvalā rativardhane |  

Vipralambha rasābhiṣṭa rūpānugāya te namaḥ ||

 

Educational Life:

Śrīmad Purī Goswami Thakur appeared on August 25, 1895 (sixth lunar day of the waxing moon of Bhadra in the Bengali year 1302). His father’s name was
Mr. Rajanikanta Bose (after taking the Babaji initiation from Srila Prabhupada, he was named Sri Radha Govinda Dasa Babaji). His mother’s name was Mrs. Bidhumukhi Bose. This great personality was born in Sandiphatia, in the Noakhali district of East Bengal. Mr. Bose had four sons: Yogendra (Śrīmad Bhakti Pradeep Tirtha Maharaj), Srinivasa, Sudarsana, and Hrisikesa. They were all devoted followers of Srila Prabhupada Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur. Śrīmad Purī Goswami was devoted to Lord Krishna from his early childhood. By age eight, he could recite verses from memory from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavad Gita. During this time, he would also sing the devotional songs of Śrīla Narottama Thakura and Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Thakura, playing mridanga. His sweet voice and melodious mridanga playing would astonish everyone. In this way, everyone realized that he was an eternal associate of the Lord. 

He passed his I.A. from Krishnath College, Berhampore, and graduated from the University of Calcutta, securing first-class honors. From adolescence, he had a deep reverence for Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Since then he has memorized verses from it.

Meeting with Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur & Srila Prabhupada:

At the age of sixteen, he, along with his father, Sri Rajanikanta Bose, and elder brother, Sri Yogendra Bose (Śrīmad Bhakti Pradīpa Tīrtha Mahārāja), visited Bhaktibhavan in Ram Bagan, Kolkata. There he saw the lotus feet of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura for the first time. Śrī Bhaktivinoda Thakur was seated on a wooden seat. Śrīla Prabhupāda sat beside him chanting the holy name, while Śrīmat Krishna Das Babaji Mahārāja sat a little distance away on the veranda. When everyone offered pranama to Śrī Thakur Mahāśaya, he smiled warmly and said, “May you all attain supreme prosperity.”

After the disappearance of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Śrīmad Purī Goswāmī came to see the lotus feet of Śrīla Prabhupāda at Bhaktibhavan in Ram Bagan in 1918, along with his elder brother Sri Yogendra Babu. When they offered obeisances, Śrīla Prabhupāda, with a smile, asked Śrīmad Purī Dās to sing a kīrtan. He sang Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s kīrtana, “Kabe Habe Bolo Se Dina Amār” (“When will that day come to me”). His sweet voice left everyone spellbound. Śrīla Prabhupāda was extremely pleased. That day, he asked Śrīla Prabhupāda whether it would be possible to refute the arguments made by Raja Rammohan Roy and a certain Goswami, who attempted to undermine the Bhāgavatam and Vaisnavism; And whether it was possible to establish that the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the genuine commentary on the Vedanta. In response, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that the views of Rammohan Roy and the Goswami, which contradict the Sruti (Vedic scriptures), would soon be shattered by the conclusions of the Bhāgavatam. False findings can never be firmly established.

Diksha & Residing in Gaudiya Math:

On the full moon day of Phalguna in 1918, the advent of Śrī Gaura, Śrīla Prabhupāda accepted the Bhāgavata Tridaṇḍa Sannyāsa and established the Śrī Chaitanya Math. The next day, Śrīla Prabhupāda initiated a few devoted individuals with mantra including Śrīmad Purī Dāsa Goswāmī, Śrī Haripada Vidyāratna, and Dhirendranath Bandyopadhyay. Śrīmad Purī Dāsa Thakura was given the brahmachari name ‘Śrīmad Ananta Vāsudeva Brahmachari’. Śrīla Prabhupāda awarded him the title “Paravidyābhūṣaṇa” from the Śrī Navadvīpa Dhāma Prachāriṇī Sabhā.

Dedication in Vaishnava Seva:

From 1925 onwards, he fully dedicated himself to the service of Śrīla Prabhupāda. During this time, he accompanied Śrīla Prabhupāda to East Bengal. He would take notes of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s lectures and associate him with his study-related works. He had an extraordinary memory. Whatever he heard once from Śrīla Prabhupāda, he could replicate exactly. The verses from Bhāgavatam that he heard from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mouth, he could recite immediately afterward. During lectures, he could instantly recite it when Śrīla Prabhupāda asked him for a specific verse. Other sannyāsīs and brahmachārīs were often astonished by seeing his genius.

Since the day he surrendered at the lotus feet of his spiritual master, he never acted on his own accord. He did nothing without Śrīla Prabhupāda’s desire. Even while writing letters for Śrīla Prabhupāda, if it were time for a meal, he would not stop writing until Prabhupāda himself asked him to go and eat. Śrīmad Purī Dāsa Thakura would take Prabhupāda’s remnants for his meals. On many occasions, if he did not receive Prabhupāda’s remnants, he would fast. When Śrīla Prabhupāda knew about this, he would immediately touch some milk or a banana to his lips and personally call him to eat.

Śrīla Prabhupāda first established Śrī Chaitanya Math. At that time, he was accompanied by several devotees, including Brahmacari Śrī Paramānanda Vidyāratna, Śrī Vāsudeva Prabhu, Śrī Kunjabihari Vidyābhūṣaṇa, Śrī Jagadīś Bhaktipradīpa Vidyāvinoda B.A., Śrī Haripada Kavibhūṣaṇa M.A., B.L., and Śrī Yashodanandana Bhāgavatabhūṣaṇa. With the hope of establishing a Bhakti preaching center in Kolkata, Śrīla Prabhupāda, along with Śrī Vāsudeva Prabhu and Śrī Kunjabihari Vidyābhūṣaṇa, rented an old house at 1 Ultadanga Road for Rupees 50 per month.

The household devotees bore the rent. In the month of Agrahayana in 1918, Śrīla Prabhupāda established the Śrī Bhaktivinoda Asana in this house. On the auspicious appearance day of Śrī Śrī Vishnupriya Devi (Vasant Panchami) in 1919, “Śrī Śrī Vishva Vaishnav Rajsabha” was re-established there. In 1920, when the wife of Śrī Jagadīsha Bhaktipradīpa Thakura passed away, he fully dedicated himself to Śrīla Prabhupāda in preaching the message of Gauranga. At that time, Śrīla Prabhupāda conferred the Tridaṇḍa Sannyāsa upon him. After that, he became known as Śrīmad Bhaktipradīpa Tīrtha Mahārāja. He was the first sannyāsī initiated by Śrīla Prabhupāda.

That year Śrīla Prabhupāda, along with his companions, made an auspicious visit to the house of Śrī Atul Chandra Bandyopadhyay in Dhanbad. From 1325 Bengali year (1918-1919 CE), Śrīmad Purī Dāsa Thakur took charge of managing the Śrī Bhāgavata Press. He served this press for many years and played a significant role in publishing numerous devotional books. From Śrīla Prabhupāda’s fiftieth appearance anniversary, the tradition of Vyāsa Pūjā began. Śrī Purīdāsa Thakura was the first organizer of the Vyāsa Pūjā and was the first to write the “sraddhanjali” (a tribute) for the occasion. He was one of the key figures assisting in spreading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s worldwide missionary campaign for the propagation of the message of Gauranga.

Śrīla Ananta Vāsudeva Prabhu’s Crowning as the “Acharya” with the desire of
Srila Prabhupada:

After the disappearance of Srila Prabhupāda Bhakti Sidddhanta, Śrīla Ananta Vāsudeva Prabhu was enthroned as the Ācārya on December 31, 1936 (16th of Pausa, 1343 Bengali year). With the unanimous support of all devotees, he became the president and ācārya of the Gauḍīya Maṭh and Gauḍīya Mission. The ceremony for his ācārya-abhiseka was performed by Ācāryatrik Śrīpād Kunjabihari Vidyabhūṣaṇa Prabhu. On that same day, Śrīmad Purīdāsa Goswāmī Thakura initiated more than a hundred people with the Harināma mantra during the midday session. From the day of his coronation as the ācārya, he came to be known as “Ācāryadeva.” On April 11, 1937 (28th of Baisakh, 1344 Bengali year), Śrīla Vāsudeva Prabhu, along with many sannyāsīs and brahmachārīs, went to East Bengal’s Dhaka city to preach. After conducting large-scale preaching activities in several places across East Bengal, he returned to Kolkata. A grand public reception was organized at the Gauḍīya Maṭh to welcome him back.

Śrīla Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupāda entered the eternal pastimes of the Lord on January 1, 1937. As per the desire of Prabhupāda, Śrīla Ananta Vāsudeva Paravidyābhūṣaṇa Prabhu was appointed as the ācārya of the entire undivided Gauḍīya Mission by the governing body. At that time, the 64 maṭhs had not yet split. Numerous proofs of this can be found in various editions of the weekly “Gauḍīya” magazine, which was published by the Gauḍīya Mission at that time.

Did Śrīla Prabhupāda leave a clear instruction regarding the Ācārya?
If not, why did he not?

 

Śrīla Prabhupāda gave a clear instruction regarding the Ācārya. On the morning of December 23, 1936, Śrīla Prabhupāda explicitly gave instructions regarding the role of the Ācārya. In the presence of many devotees, he called his intimate disciple, Śrīla Vāsudeva Prabhu, who possessed an ideal character and was an expert in topics concerning Krishna. He had been performing the duties of an Ācārya since Śrīla Prabhupāda was present. In front of all pure Vaiṣṇavas, Śrīla Prabhupāda clearly instructed him to carry out the duties of a Rūpānuga Ācārya (one who follows the line of Śrīla Rūpa Goswami).

Many devotees of the “Visva Vaisnava Raja Sabha” have heard this and witnessed it. Additionally, Śrīla Prabhupāda, in his “Gauḍīya Bhāṣya” of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, clearly instructed everyone to always perform Hari Nama Kirtan” under the guidance of Śrī Ananta Vāsudeva Prabhu (“Vāsudevānantāsye thākiyā ta sadā laha nāma“). In the “Gaurāśīrvāda” section in the Śrī Dhāma-Pracāriṇī Sabha, and on many other occasions, Śrīla Prabhupāda referred to Śrī Vāsudeva Prabhu as one who is deeply immersed in “Śabda-Brahma” and “Para-Brahma”, most dear to Guru and Gauranga, as the ideal figure who fulfills the heartfelt desires of Śrī Guru and Śrī Gauranga and the embodiment of “yukta vairagya”. 

In his final instructions and last will, Śrīla Prabhupāda entrusted all spiritual responsibilities and authority to Śrīla Vāsudeva Prabhu alone. Therefore, Śrīla Prabhupāda’s intention regarding who will be the Ācārya is not only clear but absolutely explicit.

(Weekly “Gauḍīya”, Vol. 16, Issue 3, Page 47)

Srila Kunja Babu’s(Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaj) press message on the acceptance of
Srila Ananta Vasudev Prabhu as Acharya of undivided Gaudiya Math:

Srila Kunja Babu’s(Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaj) hand-written text on
the envelope inside which the pres message was written:

 

Srila Kunja Babu’s(Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaj) telegram on the acceptance of
Srila Ananta Vasudev Prabhu as Acharya of undivided Gaudiya Math:

 

Felicitation letter for Srila Ananta Vasudev Prabhu on behalf of Sacchidanda Math, Cuttack:

 

Acceptance of Tridanda Sannyas of Ananta Vasudev Prabhu:

On February 22, 1938, Śrīla Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu, accompanied by Śrīpāda Bhakti Saranga Goswāmī and several other sannyāsīs and brahmachārīs, went to Rangoon to preach. In Rangoon, the message of Gauranga was widely preached in prominent places for some time. Later, on April 7, Śrīla Vāsudeva Prabhu, along with many devotees, arrived at the Kumbha Mela in Haridwar, where he inaugurated the “Sat Siksa exhibition”. Śrīla Vāsudeva Prabhu always remembered the lotus feet of Śrīla Prabhupāda and continued to preach extensively. In the month of Bhādra in 1345 Bengali year (1938 CE), the centennial celebration of Śrī Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s appearance was held for two months at the Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭh in Kolkata. During this time, Śrīla Ananta Vasudev Prabhu solemnly preached Śrī Harikathā at various locations throughout Kolkata. In the Bengali year 1346 (1939 CE), on the fifth lunar day of the waning moon of Āṣāḍha, Śrīla Ananta Vasudev Prabhu accepted Tridaṇḍa Sannyāsa at Śrī Gayā Dhāma. He took the name “Śrīmad Bhakti Prasāda Purī.”

On the 29th of Āśhwina in this year, Śrīla Ananta Vasudev Prabhu once again arrived in Dhaka. A grand reception was organized by the devotees at the Dhaka Madhva Gauḍīya Maṭh. Many prominent personalities of the city were present at the gathering to honor and welcome him.

After accepting the renounce order Śrīmad Purīdāsa Goswami Ṭhākura began to lead a new life. He renounced all clothing except for a kaupīna (loincloth) and outer garment. He did not use footwear, always walking barefoot. He did not eat from metal utensils and slept or sat on the ground. On the day of Ekādaśī, he would stay awake all night. He would clean the grass in the garden using a pruning tool. He would also engage others in this service.

During the month of Vaiśākha, he would take holy baths in the Ganges, worship the Ganges, serve Tulasi, and provide shade and water to Tulasi. He observed all the rites mentioned in “Śrī Hari Bhakti Vilāsa” for the month of Vaiśākha. In this sacred month, he performed fragrant flower petals abhiseka in the deity room, applied sandalwood paste, and offered cool drinks and soothing items to the deities. He served Brahmins, and Vaiṣṇava guests, performed daily Śrīdhāma parikrama, conducted saṅkīrtana, and offered full prostrations (sāṣṭāṅga daṇḍavat praṇati). He observed Śrī Hari Vāsara (Ekādaśī), Gaura Jayantī, Nityānanda and Advaita Ācārya’s advent. He started the celebration of Śrī Rādhāṣṭamī vratas.

Śrīla Ananta Vasudev Prabhu resigns from the post of Acharya of Gaudiya Mission: 

From the Bengali year 1349 to 1352 (1942-1945 CE), Śrīla Ananta Vasudev Prabhu gave an explanation on “Śrī Bhakti Sandarbha”, following the method of the Gosvāmīs. On the full moon day of the month of Agrahāyaṇa in 1954, Śrīmad Bhakti Pradīpa Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja disappeared in Purī Dhāma. Śrīla Ananta Vasudev Prabhu began publishing Gosvāmī scriptures in the Bengali year 1342 (1935 CE). Thereafter, in 1955, he appointed Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Kevala Audulomi Mahārāja as the Ācārya and President of the Gauḍīya Mission and himself retired to reside exclusively in Śrī Vṛndāvana Dhāma. In Vraja, he lived with great humility, following the example of the Gosvāmīs. He showed respect even to the grasses, shrubs, creepers, animals, and birds of Vraja as beloved associates of Kṛṣṇa, and offered dandavat. He was always absorbed in the ecstatic love of Gaura-Kṛṣṇa, constantly chanting the name “Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Śacīsuta Gaur Guṇa Dhāma” and invoking Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa with the cry “Hā Rādhe, Hā Kṛṣṇa.” This call resonated across the lands of Vraja, Even the peacocks and peahens would dance in rhythm to the sound.

During the era of Śrīla Prabhupāda, there was much discussion about the basic principles of the “daiva-varṇāśrama dharma”. Later, there was intense discussion opposing the materialistic Sahajiyā doctrine, which contradicted Mahāprabhu’s pure Bhāgavata dharma. To impart true knowledge of “sambandha-jñāna”, the philosophy of sāṅkhya was especially discussed. Then during the time of Śrīla Śrīla Ananta Vasudev Prabhu and in the light of his commentary on Śrī Bhakti-sandarbha, the conclusions of bhakti-rasa were analyzed.

When Śrīla Bhakti Prasāda Purīdāsa Gosvāmī Ṭhākura was residing in Vraja, he was accompanied by Śrīpāda Bhakti Śrīrūpa Bhāgavata Mahārāja, Śrīpāda Śivadāvastha Prabhu, and Śrīpāda Vrajasundara Dāsa and other devotees. Finally, on March 8, 1958, in the afternoon, at the Kuñja-baṭī of Śrī Rādhāramana Deva in Vṛndāvana Dhāma, he entered into the eternal pastimes of the Lord.

Śrī Ananta Vāsudeva Prabhu’s Marriage, a depriving pastime & its significance:

On July 30, 1949, Śrī Ananta Vāsudeva Prabhu, also known as Śrīla Bhakti Prasāda Purī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura, manifested one of the most enigmatic and deceptive pastimes as an Ācārya. The profound mystery of this līlā was beyond the grasp of most of the sādhakas. This led many to feel bewildered or deceived by it. However, a few deeply surrendered individuals were able to perceive the true significance of this līlā and used the lesson to make advancements in their devotional practices (bhajan).

On that day, following the mysterious will of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Candra, the Lord of his heart, he entered the household life by accepting a wife. In the sacred city of Prayāga (Allahabad), he married Śrīmatī Praṇatī Devī, the devout daughter of the renowned devotee Śrī Atul Chandra Chowdhury. Śrī Supati Ranjan Nag Mahāśaya, a dedicated servant and additional secretary of the Gauḍīya Mission, was the mediator in this occasion. This divine marriage was not a mere worldly act but held a deeper spiritual purpose. It is known only to a few devoted followers. Many felt deceived by this event, but those who could understand the real intent of the līlā used it as a means to elevate their spiritual lives.

Through this divine līlā, Śrīla Ananta Vasudev Prabhu showed the world that the position of bhakti is higher than that of the varṇāśrama system and external dress. A householder living a pure, spiritually advanced life is far superior to a false ascetic who only pretends to live a renounced life. There is no benefit in forced celibacy. When the monks in the Maṭha failed to grasp these profound truths, Śrīla Ananta Vasudev Prabhu manifested the līlā of a householder devotee to help them understand.

In reality, he was neither a householder nor a renunciate. He was a messenger of the hlādinī-śakti, the pleasure potency of Bhagavān. He was always absorbed in pleasing his worshipable Lord, Brajendra-nandana Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Thus, he was a parama-haṃsa-cūḍāmaṇi (the crest jewel among the topmost renunciates), beyond all rules and regulations, and completely independent. For this reason, it is a grave offense to equate his marriage līlā with a worldly materialistic marriage. His actions were beyond worldly norms. He lived solely for the satisfaction of the divine.

One of the significant contributions of Śrīla Ananta Vasudev Prabhu was his deep commitment to the service of Śrī Vigraha (the Deity form of the Lord). He focused on various forms of service, such as preparing different types of offerings for the Deity through cooking and using melodious tunes and rhythmic beats during the bhoga ārati. He was always attentive to providing comfort and pleasure to the Deity.

By refuting impersonalism or Māyāvāda, Śrīla Prabhupāda established the worship of Śrī Vigraha, who is eager to accept the loving devotion from the devotees. Śrīla Ananta Vasudev Prabhu imparted the lesson of being ever-engaged in the service of Śrī Vigraha.

Another great contribution of Śrīla Ananta Vasudev Prabhu was the publication of the texts written by Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s close associates and the Goswāmīs of Śrī Dhāma Vṛndāvana. He edited and published a total of 65 rare Goswāmī texts. These Goswāmī books are universally regarded as authentic and of the highest, error-free quality. He meticulously collected these texts from various libraries and manuscript repositories and ensured their flawless printing. His exceptional service as a skilled editor was fully dedicated to the publication of these Goswāmī works.

Srila Ananta Vasudev Prabhu’s Valuable contribution to the publication of Gaudiya Vaishnavas –
Click the Link for full pdf of book list

A Special Request to all Readers:
No matter what your level of devotion is, please do not make mundane comments after reading about the divine pastimes of Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu, one of the dearest followers of  Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Criticising a vaishnava could lead to major offenses, and none of us have the right to criticize a Vaiṣṇava.