On 4 January 1954, paramaradhya Srila Gurudeva visited Asoka-nagara Colony in Howrah, at the request of the devotees there. He explained Srimad-Bhagavatam for five days, giving a clear analysis of the specialty of Vaisnava philosophy compared to other philosophies, especially Carvaka philosophy and the Bolshevik doctrine from Russia. Then, at the huge assembly at the local college in Mahisadal in Medinipura district, lectured on the necessity of religious life. After that, at the religious assembly in front of Sri Ananta Kumara dasa’s temple in Natasala, close to Gehukhali, he gave a deep lecture filled with tattva on the reconciliation of all different religions.
Later on, in the premises of the higher secondary English medium school of Mangalamado village, Srila Guru Maharaja gave a lecture on Sri Mahaprabhu’s prema-dharma. On this topic, he said, “Harinama-sankirtana as preached and followed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the only path for the jivas’ welfare in Kali-yuga. Certain pseudo-devotional sects (apasampradayas) have sanctioned drinking alcohol and eating meat and fish. They also put forward the philosophy of yata mata tata patha (‘whatever your opinion may be is the true way’), but these can never ever be accepted as sanatana-dharma. Scriptures such as the Gita have clearly refuted these doctrines. The saint and the thief have different paths, and their destinations can never be the same.
“One cannot attain Sri Bhagavan by worshipping different demigods. The supreme way of attaining Bhagavan is to worship Him by chanting His names (sri nama-sankirtana). Apasampradaya doctrines are opposed to the scriptures and are filled with faulty conclusions. Pure Vaisnavas are the gurus of the four varnas. Unfortunately, the modern class of so-called Vaisnavas is full of bad qualities and is a degraded apasampradaya. One cannot gain any benefit by following it. Vaisnavas must perform the topmost bhakti to Visnu and must follow the rules of proper Vaisnava conduct and etiquette.”
After Srila Gurudeva’s lectures at Sarvediya, Dhoda, Ekatara, Naikundi, Maluvasana, Pichlada, Golavada, Mangalamado and other places, tridandi-svami Srimad Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja and tridandi-svami Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja [the author] delivered lectures on the pastimes of Sri Gaura, Krsna and Rama illustrated with slides. After preaching strongly in this way wherever he went, Srila Gurudeva returned to Chunchura Matha.
Lecture at the eminent Sanskrit conference in Chunchura
On 6 February 1954, prominent Sanskrit scholars of India assembled at the local Sanskrit school in Chunchura for a huge Sanskrit conference. The assembly unanimously accepted mahamahopadhyaya Sri Yogendranath (tarka-sankhya, vedanta-tirtha) as chairman, and then the talks began. At the special request of the members of the assembly, Srila Gurudeva spoke for an hour on Hindu dharma and Vaisnava philosophy. He began his lecture, which was extremely brilliant and full of deep philosophy, by especially emphasizing the need to revive Indian culture and Sanskrit education. He also stressed the necessity to organize institutions such as eminent Sanskrit conferences to develop Sanskrit education throughout India. “None of the ancient scriptures such as the Vedas, Vedanta, the Puranas and the Itihasas (histories) have mentioned the word ‘Hindu’,” Srila Gurudeva pointed out. “Nevertheless, those who live between Hindukusa or the Himalayan mountains in the North and Bindu-sarovara in the South, and who follow sanatana-dharma are called Hindus. Therefore, we should understand that the term ‘Hindu dharma’ refers to sanatana-dharma. The vaisnava-dharma described in Srimad-Bhagavatam and other scriptures is simply sanatana-dharma and nothing else.”
Srila Gurudeva then used scriptural logic and irrefutable arguments to establish that Sankaracarya’s kevaladvaita-vada, or mayavada, is opposed to sastra and is a completely imaginary and illusory doctrine. This created a commotion in the assembly, and some people stood up and started to protest. But Acarya Kesari displayed his expertise in all sastras by wonderfully refuting their arguments and establishing the tenets of vaisnava-dharma. The assembled Vaisnavas became very joyful upon seeing his unprecedented erudition, but some advaita-vadi scholars became disturbed.
After Srila Gurudeva left, other members of the assembly gave lectures. These included mahamahopadhyaya Sri Yogendranatha (tarka-sankhya, vedanta-tirtha), Sri Jiva (nyaya-tirtha, MA), Dr. Mahamanavrata Brahmacari (MA, PhD), a teacher from Hoogly College (MA, kavya-tirtha) and many expert Sanskrit scholars from Kolkata’s Sanskrit College.
Sri vyasa-puja festival in Visnupura Kamarapota of Medinipura
On 20 February 1954, the founder-acarya and president of the Samiti visited the home of Sri Radhanatha dasa Adhikari, a resident of Kamarapota Visnupura, at his earnest request. Srila Acaryadeva’s appearance day, sri vyasa-puja, was celebrated splendidly with puja-pancaka (the worship of five groups of venerable personalities) in accordance with Sri Vyasa-puja-paddhati, which was compiled by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada and revised by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. After that, Srila Acaryadeva’s sannyasi, brahmacari and grhastha disciples offered puspanjali at his lotus feet.
Maghi-krsna-pancami was the appearance day of Srila Acaryadeva’s most worshipful Sri Gurudeva, om visnupada Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada. On that day, Srila Gurudeva, together with his disciples and followers, performed arcana-pujana and offered sraddha-puspanjali at Prabhupada’s holy feet. After various sannyasis had given their lectures at the religious assembly that day, Srila Acaryadeva gave a very significant lecture on Srila Sarasvati Thakura’s transcendental character and teachings. Sri Radhanatha dasa Adhikari became the Samiti’s special object of affection for taking care of all the expenses for this vyasa-puja celebration.
[CC-by-ND GVP]