Information AboutBhaktivinode Thakur |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT BHAKTIVINODA THAKUR | |
| vaishnavism | |
| hindu religious figures | |
| thakur, bhaktivinoda | |
| indian religious leaders | |
| gaudiya religious figures | |
| 1838 births | |
| 1914 deaths | |
| bengali people | |
| thakur, bhaktivinod | |
|
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur ( September 2 , 1838 - June 23 , 1914 ), a prominent figure among the Gaudiya Vaishnava s of Bengal , was born Kedarnath Datta in the town of Birnagar, Bengal , India. He was the son of Raja Krsnananda Datta. Bhaktivinoda married and had several children, including Bimal Prasad (later Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura ), the founder of the Gaudiya Math and the guru of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada . Bhaktivinoda was also the father, as well as the initiating guru, of Lalita Prasad Thakur . The two brothes had substantial disagreements on how their father's spiritual heritage was to carry on, Bimal Prasad more inclined for preaching and the establishment of Varnashrama-dharma , Lalita Prasad more inclined for the esoteric mode of raganuga-worship. Bhaktivinode favored and instructed Bhaktisiddhanta Saravati Thakur to establish varnashrama dharma over pseudo esoteric raganuga worship as the babaji vesha had become mostly corrupted. Bhaktivinoda was among the first Vaishnava scholars to present the teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the principles of Gaudiya Vaishnava Theology to the English speaking world. Bhaktivinoda's Diksha guru was Bipin Bihari Goswami, a descendant of the family dynasty of Vamsivadananda Thakur, a companion of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's , and an initiate in the lineage descending from Sri Jahnava Thakurani, the wife of Nityananda. In his autobiography entitled Svalikhita-jivani, Bhaktivinoda narrates how he had long prayed for a suitable guru, and felt his prayers were responded to in a dream as Sri Chaitanya himself directed him to Bipin Bihari. There is a story narrating that on the day of Bhaktivinoda's initiation, Bipin Bihari Goswami placed his foot upon Bhaktivinoda's head. His son Bhaktisiddhanta reportedly became angry and chastized Bipin Bihari Goswami for his actions. To this day, the followers of Bhaktisiddhanta view Bipin Bihari in a far less amicable light than the followers of Lalita Prasad. There is no evidence to indicate that Bhaktivinoda's regard for his guru would have become any less over the years. Many adherents of Gaudiya Vaishnavism believe that Bhaktivinoda later accepted ''shiksha'' (instruction) from Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaj, who is said to have lived for 135 years. Bhaktivinoda accepted the babaji vesh in 1908 , leaving household life to become a full renunciate. He continued to travel between Calcutta and Puri until June 23 , 1914 , when he passed away approximately noontime in Puri . His remains were interred at Godruma, one of the nine islands of Navadwip . EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|