According to the instruction of Vaisnava Acarya Srila Thakura Bhaktivinoda, members and followers of the Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti observe purusottama-vrata like kartika-vrata. Two essays regarding the month of Purusottama are published in Sri Gaudiya-patrika’s fourth and fifth issues in the second year. One is about the greatness of the Purusottama month and the other gives instructions on how to observe it. Unfortunately, the smarta calendar completely disregards this observance.
The two essays mentioned describe two kinds of literature: smarta and transcendental (paramarthika). According to the smarta sastra, karma is the predominating factor, and the special month of Purusottama is a leap month when no religious activities should be observed. Therefore it is also called malmas, an impure month. But in transcendental scriptures, this leap month is described as being topmost in all respects and supremely helpful for hari-bhajana.
These two essays relate many significant stories and give much important information regarding this leap month, such as the eminence of the leap month; the reason for calling it Purusottama; the history of Draupadi in the section describing the greatness of the month; the story of King Drdhadhava narrated by Valmiki; the rules for bathing in the month of Purusottama; the injunction that the only observance for Purusottama is worship of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna; proper and improper things to do during the vrata; the transcendental observances for devotees who are svanistha (who follow rules and prohibitions of varnasrama and endeavour to please Hari), paranistha (who follow Vaisnava standards only, discarding varnasrama rules), and nirapeksa (renounced); single-pointed Vaisnavas’ natural interest in the month and what is proper to do; the revelation that the leap month is dear to the devotees because it is free from the miseries of karma-kanda; what is havisyanna; what is prohibited and what is proper conduct during the vrata ; what amisa (non-vegetarian) is; the result of hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam and observing the vrata ; the offering of lamps and its greatness; what is appropriate to do on Caturdasi, Astami, Navami of krsna-paksa; arghya-mantra and namaskara-mantra ; nirajana-, dhyana- and puspanjali-mantra ; and the last observances of the vrata and rules for breaking the vow.
This year, the majority of the Vaisnavas observed purusottama-vrata from the first day of Vaisakha until the thirtieth day of Vaisakha, in accordance with the rules and regulations in line with the Sri Mayapura-panjika—Sri Caitanya-panjika published by Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. It was especially observed like this in Siddhavati Gaudiya Matha. Grhastha-bhaktas and their families from various places in Bihara also participated in this vrata.
Re-establishing the Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Catuspathi
Sri Madana-mohana dasa Adhikari was a rich, respected, gifted and very religious person from Vaimcigrama, Hoogly district. He repeatedly requested Srila Guru Maharaja to come to his home, since he wanted pure bhakti to be preached in that area. Satisfying him, Gurudeva arrived there in June 1953, together with Srimad Narasimha Maharaja (the editor of Sri Gaudiya-patrika), Srimad Narayana Maharaja (Patrika’s preaching manager) [the author], Srimad Paramarthi Maharaja, Srimad Trivikrama Maharaja and some brahmacaris. For five days various speakers gave lectures on Srimad-Bhagavatam and suddha-bhakti in large religious assemblies. Dr. Siddesvara Bhattacarya (MA), who was the vice-principal of Visva Bharati University and who had been a lecturer at the School of Oriental Studies in London, discussed Sankara Vedanta or mayavada philosophy with Sri Gurudeva for two hours. Srila Guru Maharaja used scriptural evidence and irrefutable logic to show that the mayavada philosophy which Acarya Sankara established is insubstantial and is opposed to sastra. At the same time he established that Acarya Sankara’s liberation (mukti ) is false and that Acarya Sankara was not able to obtain such mukti himself. When the honourable vice-principal heard Acarya Kesari’s deep views supported by sastra, he was astonished and became speechless. After that, Srila Gurudeva preached in nearby Panduya, Mutukpura and other places and afterwards returned to Chunchura Matha.
On 29 September 1953, Srila Gurudeva re-established Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Catuspathi in Sri Uddharana Gaudiya Matha. This Sanskrit Catuspathi had been run previously by Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti at 32/2 Bospada Lane, Bagbazar, Kolkata. It had taught Harinamamrta-vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar system composed by Srila Jiva Gosvami) and kavya (poetry), and many students had passed their examinations with distinction. Srila Gurudeva gave a brief lecture.
“In the present age, Sanskrit education is being disrespected, but without Sanskrit the welfare of the people is impossible. The word ‘Sanskrit’ means ‘refined’. People who do not know Sanskrit are not qualified to study Vedic knowledge; they are also unqualified for higher education. Higher education means the worship of Bhagavan. In this worship, the language, diksa, mantras, the maha-mantra and so on are all in Sanskrit. Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Catuspathi is open to all for the eternal liberation of the conditioned souls and for the expression of transcendental moods in most refined language.
“Jagad-guru Srila Jiva Gosvami composed a transcendental Sanskrit grammar called Sri Harinamamrta-vyakarana to educate young people. Reading and studying Sri Harinamamrta-vyakarana is provided to awaken the memory of Srila Gosvamipada in the heart of all jivas. An important aphorism in this vyakarana is ‘narayanadudbhuto ’yam varnakramah – all varnas are born from Narayana’. There is no difference between the varna (letter) of a word and the varna (caste) of the jivas. Therefore, creation, destruction and so forth are explained by namvadi or sphotvadi words. In the visuddha Sarasvata line (coming from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada), even those who are born in low and untouchable families can become qualified to perform transcendental service for Sriman Mahaprabhu.
“The prakrta-sahajiya sampradaya is an offender at Sri Jiva Gosvami’s lotus feet and is also a great enemy of Sriman Mahaprabhu. Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti will drive the outcaste and demoniac conceptions of these pretenders far away through the education given by Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Catuspathi.”
On the very first day of the inauguration of the Catuspathi, nine jewels – nine brilliant students – were singled out, who in the future would be revealed as the real preachers of navadha-bhakti.
Sri Avantika (Ujjayini) and Nasika parikrama
On 20 October 1953, Srila Gurudeva left from Howrah station with sannyasi, brahmacari and grhastha devotees to observe kartika-vrata niyama-seva in Sri Avantika, Nasika and other famous pilgrimage places. Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja [the author], Sudama Sakha Brahmacari and others went with him to take care of the pilgrims. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had previously travelled through all these places.
The parikrama party first took darsana of Sri Kurmadeva in Kurmancalam. This is the very place where Sri Jagannathaji placed the sleeping Sri Ramanujacarya when He removed him from Puri. While Sri Ramanuja Acarya was staying in Puri, he had prohibited the pujaris of Puri from serving Sri Jagannathaji because of their chewing of betel, smoking and other bad habits. The pujaris fasted for several days and prayed to Sri Jagannathaji in a distressed mood, “He Jagannathaji! You are our everything. We have surrendered unto You. Without serving You we cannot stay alive.” Hearing their prayers Sri Jagannathaji removed the mental agony of the pujaris by transporting the sleeping Sri Ramanuja Acarya along with his bed at night and put him here in Kurmancalam. When Sri Ramanuja Acarya woke up in the morning, he thought he was in a Siva temple and became very sad. But Sri Kurmadeva consoled him saying, “I am not a Siva linga, but Kurmadeva.” Hearing this voice from the sky, Sri Ramanuja Acarya felt great relief and performed puja of Kurmadeva.
Next the pilgrims reached Kabur (Vidya-nagara) on the banks of Godavari. This is where the transcendental dialogue took place between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Raya Ramananda, as described in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. After that they visited Pandharpur, the site of the famous Pandharnatha temple. Sri Visvarupa Prabhu came here after taking sannyasa, and entered aprakata-lila on the banks of the nearby river Bhima. Later, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also came here in search of Sri Visvarupa Prabhu. From here the pilgrims went on to Nasika via Kolhapur, Mumba-devi (Mumbai) and Nasika Road. In Nasika they took bath in Godavari and had darsana of Pancavati, the place where Surpanakha’s nose was cut off, the place where Marici was killed, and various other places, and then they reached Avantika. There they bathed in the river Chipra and took darsana of various different temples, as well as Sandipani Muni’s asrama, where Sri Baladeva and Krsna together with Sudama Vipra, learned all arts. From here the parikrama party went via Dakorji, Nathadvara, Puskara, Jaipur, Karauli, Vrndavana, Citrakuta and Prayaga, and reached Howrah after a total of thirty-eight days. Then the pilgrims returned to their respective places.
Preaching sanatana-dharma in Sri Ramapura, Hoogly
On 15 December 1953, Sri Acarya Kesari visited the home of Haripada dasa Adhikari, a resident of Sri Ramapura, upon his earnest request. Srila Gurudeva was accompanied by Srimad Bhakti Kusala Narasimha Maharaja (the editor of the Patrika), Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja (preaching manager) [the author], Srimad Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja (office-in-charge), as well as four or five brahmacaris. Srila Guru Maharaja preached suddha-bhakti at different places in Sri Ramapura in the fifteen day duration of his stay there. Sometimes he lectured on Srimad-Bhagavatam; in large religious assemblies he spoke on the particular virtue of sanatana-dharma; and at other places he talked on various other subjects, such as the superiority of vaisnava-dharma. His philosophical views, complete with tattva and irrefutable logic, attracted the local teachers, intellectuals, lawyers, judges, businessmen and highly educated people of all various classes. Kalipada Gangopadhyaya, the most qualified manager of the well-known Sri Ramapura Dharma-sabha, was particularly helpful in facilitating the preaching.
A huge Gita-jayanti program was arranged by him at the local school in Ballabhapura. Srila Gurudeva was the chairman of the program and gave a brilliant lecture on the teachings of Gita that lasted for almost one-and-a-half hours. He said that bhakta Arjuna was a liberated soul, and a friend and an eternal associate of Krsna. Krsna was apparently instructing Arjuna when He spoke Srimad Bhagavad-gita, but the teachings of Gita are actually for ordinary living entities, and not for Arjuna. Gita is the primary teaching and Srimad-Bhagavatam is the topmost post-graduate textbook in the kingdom of dharma. Those who wish to enter the kingdom of dharma should carefully adopt these teachings.
The local Ramana Hall was the venue for a huge religious conference on the topic, ‘The problems of the present age and their solutions’. The audience included eminent and highly qualified people of the town and Srila Acaryadeva gave a very moving and philosophical lecture for one-and-a-half hours. He said that all problems, whether political, social or economic, will be solved when we follow rsi-niti (the regulations given by saints and sages). “All these problems existed in India five hundred years ago. At that time, Srila Sanatana Gosvami was the prime minister of Hussain Shah, the ruler of Bengal. Srila Sanatana Gosvami’s intelligence was very sharp, and when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu transmitted His sakti into his heart, he was able to leave all material attachments and take shelter at Sriman Mahaprabhu’s lotus feet. He enquired from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu about the solution to all the problems of all mankind, at all times and in all places. The answers that Sriman Mahaprabhu gave to these questions are called sanatana-siksa. The best, natural and simple way – indeed the only way – for the educated class in Bengal to solve all their problems is to follow these teachings. Rsi-niti indicates the principles of the sages (rsis) described in bona fide scriptures (sat-sastras) like the Upanisads, Vedanta-sutra and Srimad-Bhagavatam. In order to receive these teachings, it is therefore necessary to study the ancient Sanskrit scriptures. How unfortunate it is that the Ministry of Education shows so little enthusiasm for this essential aspect of education.”