Sripada Kunja Bihari Vidyabhusana Prabhu

Śrīpāda Kuñja Bihārī Vidyābhūṣaṇa Prabhu

In search for a cogent understanding of spiritual knowledge, Umāpati, a young man from Jessore District working as a post office clerk in Calcutta, had been visiting various sādhus, yet despite much inquiry had received only unsatisfactory answers. Some friends advised him to simply stick with the jāta-gosāñi he was initiated by, and not meander here and there.

But Umāpati had no faith in the anodyne Vaiṣṇavism that he had circumstantially been formally inducted into; like many educated young Bengalis, he had surmised that Vaiṣṇavas were a class of illiterate scoundrels. Nevertheless, on the insistence of his friends and also out of personal curiosity, on Gaura-jayantī of 1914 he journeyed to Navadvīpa along with an acquaintance, Śrī Sakhī Caraṇa Rāya, to see its sights and meet the resident gosāñis.

At the home of one gosāñi known to Sakhī Caraṇa, Umāpati, 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 darśana of Śrīla Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, who explained to them a well-known verse from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta:

kṛṣṇa-bhakta—niṣkāma, ataeva ‘śānta’
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī—sakali ‘aśānta’

A devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is desireless and therefore peaceful. Those who desire material enjoyment, liberation, or material opulence cannot be peaceful. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.149)

With Bābājī Mahārāja’s blessings the young men then proceeded to Māyāpura, and on reaching that evening, were met by the brothers Ananta and Vanamālī Poddār and taken to see Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī, who explained to them the four verses from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta that begin:

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

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 Kṛṣṇa receives the seed of the creeper of bhakti. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.151)

Upon hearing Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī’s pellucid exposition, Umāpati was enthralled to discover that among the Vaiṣṇavas there exist paṇḍitas and philosophical deliberation. Yet also repelled by Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī’s indictments of persons that he revered, Umāpati returned to Calcutta with little intention of again approaching Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī.

In November 1915 Umāpati revisited Navadvīpa seeking darśana of Śrīla Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī—on the very day that Bābājī Mahārāja departed from this world. Two days later he was sent to Māyāpura to invite Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī to a festival in Kuliyā in honor of Bābājī Mahārāja. Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī 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 prasāda. Wherever Kṛṣṇa ordains that I get His remnants, there I fortunately partake of them.”

Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī continued to speak for two hours, during which Umāpati excitedly realized that even without asking he was now getting solutions to philosophical doubts that had vexed him for months. Not content to hear Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī for merely two hours, Umāpati rushed back to Calcutta, arranged a two-month leave from the post office, and returned to Māyāpura to regularly hear from Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī.

Yet still admiring the Ramakrishna Mission and other dubious outfits, Umāpati was disturbed to again hear Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī describe as rapscallions people he venerated as saints. He was about to leave, but at Paramānanda Prabhu’s urging he agreed to stay a few more days, during which he came to appreciate that Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī was indeed divine and thus begged to be initiated. Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī accepted Umāpati as a disciple, renamed him Kuñja Bihārī dāsa, and recognizing his competence in management, immediately engaged him in that capacity.

In later years Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura reflected that since his own nature was to be reclusive, inclined to philosophical pursuits and nāma-bhajana—he liked to speak the message of Mahāprabhu 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 Kuñja Bihārī, he (Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura) accepted him as a godsend for spanning the breach between himself and the public.

In all his activities Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura consulted Kuñja Bihārī Prabhu, relying heavily on him for business and temporal affairs. Thus the Gauḍīya Mission blossomed around the combination of Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s spiritual magnitude and Kuñja Bihārī’s worldly expertise.

Kuñjadā sacrificed his time, money, and very life in service to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, who repeatedly and publicly expressed gratitude toward him. As inaugurator and overseer of all activities of the Gauḍīya Maṭha, Kuñjadā was considered the root of all service within it. Appointed secretary of the Gauḍīya Maṭha, he proved adept in choreographing, promoting, and managing its activities while maintaining a full-time post office job.

Under his astute guidance the Gauḍīya Maṭha 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 Kṛṣṇa’s service, through which he much increased the properties and prestige of the mission.

At Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭha, as the maṭha-rakṣaka Kuñja Bihārī 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 of Calcutta declared a strike, he told the maṭha-vāsīs, “We don’t need anyone to clean the outhouse. I’ll do it.”

In the early phase of the mission, Kuñjadā 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 Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī 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, Kuñja Bihārī Prabhu obtained a well-paying appointment in Basra, Iraq. Knowing that his guru-mahārāja would not give him permission yet feeling that he must go nonetheless, he left in May 1920 without telling anyone.

At that time Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura was in Māyāpura, supervising the excavation of the Rādhā-kuṇḍa thereof. It was a wrenching shock to him and the other devotees when on 18 May he received news of Kuñja Bihārī Prabhu’s departure. The devotees became anxious about the future of the mission that they were busily developing.

Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura had begun large-scale missionary work on the urging of Kuñja Bihārī Prabhu, having entrusted the management to him and made expansive plans based on his commitment. Now suddenly he was gone. Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura 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 Kuñja Bihārī 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 Śrī Hari. Do not undertake any task abruptly. Whatever you do, perform it with the future in mind. Apart from nāma-kīrtana, there is no other sādhana or bhajana in this world.

At the time of attaining perfection you will know all other things. With great fortitude and reliance upon Kṛṣṇa 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.

Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī had four occupations: (1) to reclaim lost holy places, (2) to preach the conclusion of devotion, (3) to establish Vaiṣṇava smṛti and society, and (4) to manifest the deity of Śrī 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 Śrī Gaura-Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. Uphold bhakti-siddhānta, which is the Vaiṣṇava understanding of Vedānta.

May Śrī Vārṣabhānavī 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 Kṛṣṇa 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 Rādhā-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 Kuñja Bihārī Prabhu arrived in Dacca while Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī was completing the last of a thirty-day series of discourses on the first verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. As Kuñja Bihārī was falling prostrate at his feet, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī lifted him up and clasped him to his chest as both shed tears of joy. Kuñjadā was back! And he again took charge of organizing Gauḍīya Maṭha activities.

Apart from its conventional implication, the name Kuñjadā was also understood as “who gives (da) entrance to the grove (kuñja) of guru-sevā,” apropos for one who directly or indirectly oversaw the engagement of many members of the Mission. He was described as “service personified.” Although Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura conferred honorific titles upon many of his disciples, Kuñja Bihārī was unique in being accoladed with two—Vidyābhūṣaṇa and Bhāgavata-ratna (jewel among exalted devotees).

Kuñjadā became further known as guru-preṣṭha (dear to guru), Prabhupāda-preṣṭha (dear to Prabhupāda), and in English, the “beloved counterpart” of his guru. His reputation was such that brahmacārīs would queue to receive his prasāda remnants in hope of imbibing his mood of dedication to their guru-mahārāja, and thus be entitled to enter the guru-sevā-kuñja.

And whenever disciples approached to offer daṇḍavat to Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura in a place where Kuñja Bihārī was present, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura would ask if they had first offered respects to Kuñja Bihārī Prabhu. If not, even if they were sannyāsīs, he would send them to do so.

The Gauḍīya (2.25) bore the following description of Kuñja Bihārī Prabhu:

śarīraṁ vasu vijñānaṁ vāsaḥ karma guṇān asūn
gurv-arthaṁ dhārayed yas tu sa śiṣyo netaraḥ smṛtaḥ

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 mahātmā, not for one day, not for two days, but always and at every moment have I observed this ideal. I had read the gurudevatātmā verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and heard the śruti mantra yathā deve tathā 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 mahātmā 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 mahātmā will become wonderstruck and himself inclined to service by seeing his unending qualities.

In the new Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭha, which Kuñja Bihārī Prabhu was instrumental in acquiring and constructing, a poem composed by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī was inscribed on a column:

The secretary of the Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭha, Ācāryatrika Śrīpāda Kuñja Bihārī Vidyābhūṣaṇa, is:

• the main pillar in the grand temple of the Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭha;
• the prime cause of the flourishing of the life and service of the Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭha institution of service;
• the original architect in creating the Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭha;
• the principal minister for the waking and development of Śrīla Jagabandhu’s service attitude;
• the central jewel in the Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭha’s jewelled necklace of devotees;
• the very form of service to śrī-guru, and the dearest to śrī-guru;
• the most distinguished assistant in fulfilling the mano-’bhīṣṭa of śrī-guru;
• the foremost teacher of service to śrī-guru, and the crest-jewel of tolerant service;
• the person dedicated to the service of the servitors of śrī-guru and who invites the world to the service of Hari and guru;
• and the topmost friend of the Gauḍīyas.

When Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura visited Mysore he was accompanied by several Gauḍīya Maṭha leaders, but he wanted Kuñja Bihārī also to come, and called him via a telegram sent to Calcutta. When Kuñjadā arrived within just three or four days, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura asked him how he had come so quickly—after all, he had responsibilities as a post office employee—to which Kuñjadā 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 Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī’s departure, Kuñja Bihārī became the object of certain accusations by godbrothers convinced of his wrongdoings. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī did not disaffirm such charges, yet appreciating that managing the institution was not easy, and recognizing the multiple burdens Śrī Kuñja Bihārī had accepted to expand the mission, he expressed indebtedness and declared that by Kuñja Bihārī’s having made arrangements for him to speak to the educated public, he had served him best among all disciples.

After Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s tirobhāva, Śrī Kuñja Bihārī Vidyābhūṣaṇa took sannyāsa, with the name Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Śrīmad Bhakti Vilāsa Tīrtha Mahārāja, and throughout his life continued to oversee the Śrī Caitanya Maṭha and associated branches.

In a letter of 1920, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī intimated that Kuñja Bihārī Prabhu’s siddha-svarūpa was Vimalā Mañjarī.

On Monday, 4th February 1894 (Bengali calendar – 19 Caitra 1302, śukla saptamī 7th day of the waxing moon cycle), a spiritual descendant of Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura appeared in Chanchuri Purulia village in Narail district, Jessore, Bangladesh in a vaiṣṇava family. His father’s name was Rāmacharaṇa Dāsa. According to the choice of his father, the baby’s name became Umāpati.

After six months, during the grain ceremony in which the baby is first fed grains (annaprāśana) and is tested for its natural inclination (ruci-parīkṣā), Umāpati picked up the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam which indicated his future spiritual pursuits that manifested in him closely assisting Śrīla Prabhupāda. Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura was a pioneer in spreading the message of pure loving devotion around the world as taught by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

In 1911, Umāpati passed his secondary school exams. Due to his father’s physical departure and the poor financial condition of the family, Umāpati 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. After meeting this person, Umāpati 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 Śrīla Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja’s disappearance at the bank of the Gaṅgā river, Umāpati heard glories of Lord Hari from Bimalā Prasāda (who would later be known as Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura). In the same year, Umāpati took shelter of Bimalā Prasāda along with his family.

Umāpati received the name Kuñjabihārī Dāsa. After initiation, Kuñjabihārī Prabhu used to offer all of the income that he would earn to Śrīla Prabhupāda and Śrīla Prabhupāda used to maintain Kuñjabihārī Prabhu’s family. According to the direction of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Kuñjabihārī Prabhu began to study various Vedic philosophies (darśana-śāstra). Śrīla Prabhupāda gave him the title Ācāryatrika Mahāmahopadeśaka Śrī Kuñjabihārī Vidyābhūṣaṇa Bhāgavata-ratna which means he was the super great spiritual advisor jewel amongst the pure devotees and the ornament of divine knowledge.

In 1918, Śrīla Prabhupāda completed his vow of chanting one billion holy names (śata-koṭi-nāma-yajña) and established Śrī Caitanya Maṭha at Māyāpura. After that, Śrī Kuñjabihārī Vidyābhūṣaṇa requested Śrīla Prabhupāda to come to Kolkata for spreading the loving message of Lord Caitanya at the Bhaktivinoda-āsana located at Ulṭāḍāṅgā 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 vaiṣṇavas, Kuñjabihārī Prabhu was put into so much financial debt. Kuñjabihārī Prabhu went out of Bengal to make money in order to pay back his debt. On the order of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Kuñjabihārī 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 Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Even the extremely miserly Jagadīśa Bābu took shelter of Śrīla Prabhupāda and sponsored the entire construction of the Bāg Bāzār Gauḍīya Maṭha. At that time, all of the sannyāsīs and brahmacārīs of the Gauḍīya Maṭha used to address Kuñjabihārī Vidyābhūṣaṇa as Kuñja Dā. He was the administrator of the Gauḍīya Maṭha.

Once, Śrīla Prabhupāda expressed, “All glories to Śrīman Kuñjabihārī Vidyābhūṣaṇa! If his assistants can follow in his footsteps, then they will attain great auspiciousness.” In brief, we can say that Kuñja Dā was the embodiment of guru-sevā and was one who was most dear to his guru.

I would like to mention one incident for understanding Śrīla Prabhupāda’s intimate relation with Kuñja Dā. Once, Śrīla Prabhupāda got severe stomach pain. The assistants surrounding Śrīla Prabhupāda were applying a hot pack on his stomach but there was no benefit. Śrīla Bhakti Hṛdaya Vana Gosvāmī Mahārāja decided to call Kuñja Bābu. As soon as Kuñja Bābu arrived in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s room, Śrīla Prabhupāda embraced Kuñja Bābu and miraculously became cured from the severe pain.

Also, in the Gauḍīya magazine, there is much glorification of Kuñja Bābu by Bhakti Hṛdaya Vana Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Bhakti Pradīpa Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrīpāda Sundarānanda Prabhu, Śrīpāda Ananta Vāsudeva Prabhu, Śrīpāda Praṇavānanda Prabhu, Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Gosvāmī Mahārāja and others. Śrīla Kuñjabihārī Vidyābhūṣaṇa followed in the footsteps of Śrīla Prabhupāda at every step in life.

12 years after Śrīla Prabhupāda’s physical disappearance, Kuñjabihārī Vidyābhūṣaṇa took sannyāsa initiation from Bhakti Vijñāna Āśrama Gosvāmī Mahārāja through the inspiration and in the presence of many of his sannyāsī and brahmacārī godbrothers at Śrīla Prabhupāda’s samādhi mandira. He got the name Bhakti Vilāsa Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja and eventually became ācārya of Śrī Caitanya Maṭha and its branches.

Śrīla Bhakti Vilāsa Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja tried to continue all of the initiatives that Śrīla Prabhupāda had started and also made various temples like Puruṣottama Gauḍīya Maṭha in Purī, Madanamohana Gauḍīya Maṭha in Vṛndāvana, Caitanya Research Institute in Kolkata, Gauḍīya Maṭha at Diamond Harbor and so on. He also established Rāya Rāmānanda’s deity and the lotus footprints of Lord Caitanya at Kāvvur along the banks of the Godāvarī River.

With his best ability, he established many temples in India. He installed deities and lotus footprints of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu 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 Vilāsa Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja physically passed away and left behind his visible transcendental body at Śrīla Prabhupāda’s bhajana-kuṭīra in the presence of many Gauḍīya Maṭha brahmacārīs and sannyāsīs. 

Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaja’s entire spiritual life gives us the example of gurudevātmā – in other words, dedicating one’s life completely to the desire of the spiritual master. We know Śrīla Prabhupāda’s eternal form is Nayanamani Mañjarī. Śrīla Prabhupāda revealed Bhakti Vilāsa Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja’s spiritual identity as Vimalā Mañjarī.