Divine Life of Srila Bhakti Srirup Bhagavata Goswami Maharaj
Amongst the uncountable rays of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, one of His most valuable rays is Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupada (Srila Prabhupada) in this Age of turmoil (Kali-Yuga). Once, Srila Prabhupada was instructed by all of our previous teachers that he should spread the loving message of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Also, they assured to send the necessary manpower for assisting Srila Prabhupada. Srila Bhakti Srirup Bhagavata Goswami Maharaj (Srila Bhagavata Goswami Maharaj) was one of the significant manpower of Srila Prabhupada.
According to the promise of our previous teachers for assisting Srila Prabhupada, Srila Bhagavata Goswami Maharaj was born in1906 on the full moon day on Lord Jagannath’s special bathing ceremony day in the village of Rudaghara, district Khulna in present-day Bangladesh in the Haldar family. His father, Sri Sitanath Haldar, and mother, Srimati Kumudini Devi, both became extremely happy to see an effulgent baby boy. The parents and other family members jointly named the effulgent baby, Rupalal, which means beautiful red color form.
From childhood, Sri Rupalal was interested to keep an appropriate equilibrium between both academic and spiritual practices. He kept his daily routine for reading Srimad Bhagavad Gita. After completion of his academic studies, he decided to spend some time in the holy places. In this regard, he came to Gaya, a significant holy place for the Hindu and Buddhist faiths. In March 1935, Rupalal was in Gaya for visiting his relatives. During that time, Srila Prabhupada along with his preaching team came over there. Here, Srila Prabhupada’s logical discourse on Srimad Bhagavatam inspired Rupalal to lead a renounced life. Again, in November, in the same year 1935, Srila Prabhupada came to Gaya temple for a deity installation ceremony. This time, Srila Prabhupada’s causeless mercy was bestowed on Rupalal, allowing him to receive 1st and 2nd initiations from him. He received the initiation name, Rupavilasa Das Brahmachari (Rupavilasa Prabhu). To see Rupavilasa Prabhu’s sincerity of spiritual practice and charismatic temple management ability, in a short period of time, Srila Prabhupada appointed him as Gaya’s temple president.
On the 1st day of January 1937 at 5.30 a.m, Srila Prabhupada physically left all of us from Bag Bazar, Kolkata Branch, the head office of the Gaudiya Math. During that time, all of the Gaudiya devotees were facing lots of separation for Srila Prabhupada’s physical presence and lack of spiritual inspiration. While almost everyone was in separation and was experiencing a lack of inspiration, Sri Rupavilasa Prabhu performed Srila Prabhupada’s services under the supervision of Srila Puri Das Thakur who was previously known as Sripad Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu. Eventually, Sri Rupavilasa Prabhu’s service skill made him the editor of Bhagavata magazine in Bengali and Hindi languages. In 1938, Sripad Rupavilasa Prabhu’s spiritual realization and various skillful devotional publications gained him the spiritual title, ‘Vidyarnav’ which means ocean of knowledge, from Srila Puri Das Thakur.
For 28 years from September 1954 to 1982, Sri Rupavilasa Prabhu continued the most important position of General Secretary of Sri Gaudiya Mission. During that period, Srila Bhakti Kevala Audulomi Goswami Maharaj was Acharya of the Gaudiya Mission. Seeing Sri Rupavilasa Prabhu’s sincere effort to look after all missionary services, in 1969, out of happiness, Srila Audulomi Maharaj gave him sannyas. Sri Rupavilasa Prabhu received the name, Srila Bhakti Srirup Bhagavata Goswami Maharaj (Srila Bhagavata Goswami Maharaj).
After Srila Audulomi Goswami Maharaj’s physical departure, in 1982, Srila Bhagavata Goswami Maharaj was unanimously elected as Acharya of Gaudiya Mission. During his period in the Acharya post, Srila Bhagavata Goswami Maharaj opened a new temple of Gaudiya Mission at Mughalsarai (U.P).
In 1987, in order to bestow his mercy, Srila Bhagwat Goswami Maharaj went to London (UK) along with his intimate associates, Sripad Nyasi Maharaj, Sripad Nandadulal Prabhu and Sripad Ananta Madhav Prabhu.
In 1992, Srila Bhagavata Goswami Maharaj intellectually and gloriously renovated the old temple of Mumbai Gaudiya Math which was established by Srila Prabhupada.
The final truth for all living beings is to leave their mortal body. Srila Bhagavata Goswami Maharaj’s visible transcendental body left us on the 12th day of February 1993 from Mumbai temple but his devotional exemplary teachings are keeping him alive, eternally, in the heart of all Gaudiya devotees. Srila Bhagavata Goswami Maharaj’s tongue was dancing constantly with chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra or Harikatha. He was one of the examples of ‘Kirtaniya Sada Hari’, which means eternally chanting the glories of Lord ‘Hari’ in the lineage of Srila Prabhupada.
According to the desire of Srila Bhagavata Goswami Maharaj, his visible transcendental body was buried in the premises of Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Gaudiya Math, Godrumdwip, Swarupgunj, Nadia (W.B).
