Srimad Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev Goswami Maharaj
Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev Goswami Maharaj was an important personification of the Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya (lineage). He was born in a Bhattacharya Brahmin family in Hapaniya, Burdwan district, West Bengal on October 10, 1895. His father’s name was Upendra Chandra Devashram Bhattacharya and his mother’s name was Srimati Gauri Bala Devi. He was given the name Ramendra Candra Bhattacharya at birth. In 1926, he was initiated by HDG Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur and was given the name Ramendra Sundar Prabhu. In 1930, Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur gave him sannyasa and his name became Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Goswami Maharaj. He had a loving friendly relation with all of his godbrothers.
When Sri Ramendra Chandra joined Prabhupada’s mission, he used to listen to Srila Prabhupada’s Harikatha, attentively. At that time, Prabhupada’s secretary, Kunja Babu, doubting that Ramendra Candra was a spy of the British government, engaged Pranavananda Das Brahmacari (sannyasa name: Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Thakur) to investigate Ramendra Candra. After three days of investigation, Pranavananda Das Brahmacari gave a favorable report, saying that Ramendra Candra could be an asset for the sampradaya. Sridhar Maharaj indeed became a valuable asset and composed many Sanskrit poems describing the glories of the Lord and His pure devotees.
Also, a coincidence happened three days before Sridhar Maharaj’s final physical departure. Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Thakur visited Srila Sridhar Goswami Maharaj who requested Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Thakur to stay with him until he was to be put into samadhi. After three days, Srila Sridhar Maharaj physically left this world on August 12, 1988 at Nabadwip, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, which is the parent temple of all branches of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. In order to fulfill the will of Sridhar Goswami Thakur, Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Thakur served as the principal priest of the samadhi ceremony. All of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas lost their hidden treasure upon the disappearance of Sridhar Goswamipad.
