Saints - www.gaurasundar.com

I would like some information about the 'Saints' whose pictures are there on the 'Saints' page at the above URL. I would just like to know some salient details about them beyond what is said there about their vamsa-lineages etc. For example, who are they? Has anyone here met any of them? What are their brief life stories if anybody knows? Etc etc..

We already know a little about Sri Prankrishna das Baba since we have two (?) of his disciples here, but what about the others like Bhagavat Kishor Gosvami, Radha-Vinod Thakur Gosvami, etc? If anyone wants to PM me about it I won't mind.

[This bio concerning Sri Radha-Vinod Thakur Gosvami was sent to me by a senior member of this forum, and is originally by Smt. Anuradha dasi. I have swapped all the Balaram to HK for readability.]

zrI zrI RAdhA-Vinod-ThAkura GosvAmI is the 12th descendent in the vaMsa-parampara or family-line of PaNDita zrI zrI DhanaJjaya GopAla ThAkura, one the dvadasa-gopAlas or twelve GopAlas, the eternal associates of zrI Caitanya MahAprabhu.

PaNDita zrI zrI DhanaJjaya GopAla ThAkura was a Brahmin and very close associate of zrIpAda NityAnanda Prabhu. The descendents of zrIpAda NityAnanda Prabhu and the descendents of zrI zrI DhanaJjaya GopAla ThAkura had always a very close friendship, since there are all GopAlas. DhanaJjaya GopAla received a deity in the form of the written Hari-nAma, called nAma-brahma from NitAi's lotus-hand that is up to today worshiped in the house of zrI zrI RAdhA-Binod-ThAkur in Begunkodar by his father, zrI zrI VRndavAna ThAkura, and his wife.


On the occasion of the famous festival of punishment, when zrIpAda NityAnanda Prabhu, showered mercy on RaghunAtha, who became later as know as zrI RaghunAtha dAsa GosvAmI, DhanaJjaya GopAla was also present. RaghunAtha receives NitAi's mercy that made him cut all his bounds to material life and gave him at place at MahAprabhu's lotus-feet in NIlAchala, PurI.

zrI zrI RAdhA-Vinoda-ThAkura appeared in a Brahmin-family on the Navami in the month of VaishAkhA in 1980 in Begunkodar, Puruliya in West Bengal. His fathers name is VrindAvan ThAkura and his mothers name RekhA ThAkuraNi. At the age of 13, he received his Brahmin-thread and short after this, he received dikSa from his father's elder sister, zrimAtI PusparaNi ThAkurani. He spent most of his time in studying holy books and singing VaiSNava-songs. Sitting together with his mother, he loved to sing the songs of NarottAma dAsa ThAkura and other padas. Since childhood, he repeatedly read Ramayana, BhAgavad-GIta, ShrImad BhAgavataM, but was especially captured by Caitanya CaritAmRta and Caitanya BhAgavata. He was completely lost when thinking of the great kRpAlu, Gaursundar.



When he was sixteen, he delivered already lectures in Begunkodar and wrote poems on MahAprabhu. One poem is called "Bhaja mana, zrI GauraGga dhana". This poem is based on the famous anarpita -zloka written by RUpa GosvAmI (CC Adi 1.4)

zloka 4 - quoted from zrIla RUpa GosvAmIpAda's "Vidagdha MAdhava" (1.2)


anarpitacarIM ~ this what has not been bestowed; cirAt ~ for a long time; karuNayAvatIrNaH ~ mercifully appeared ; kalau ~ in the age of Kali; samarpayitum ~ to present; unnata-ujjvala-rasAM ~ the most elevated radiant madhura rasa or zRngAra rasa; sva bhakti-zriyam ~ His own excellent bhakti; hariH ~ Hari; puraTa-sundara-dyuti ~ His golden complexion is so beautiful, that even the most beautiful gold present inside the river Jambu is into a embarrassment; kadamba ~ multitude sandIpitaH ~ lighted up; sadA ~ always; hRdaya-kandare ~ in the cave of your heart; sphuratu ~ appear; vaH ~ in your; zacI-nandanaH ~ zacInandana, the son of mother zacI, whose nature is similar to this of a mother.

His grandfather zrI zrI Praphulla-Kamala ThAkura GosvAmI was a very famous and powerful premic-devotee and a great paThaka and singer as well. He came to RAdhAkuNDa when he was a child of 11 years and lost his heart completely in RAdhAkuNDa. And spent most of the time there in Berakuli-mandir near Tinkuri-baba ashram. He was so filled with love for zrI RAdhA, that he could hardly speak Her name. His voice became choked with emotions and tears flow from his eyes, just by saying 'RAdhA'. He entered into nitya-lIlA in 1993.

He was well-known to zrI KuJjabihari DAs BAbAjI, who lived at the same time and who was also from Puruliya. They not only lived in the same district, but shared also the up to a certain point their guru-praNAlI, since both of their lines are descending from PaNDita zrI zrI DhanaJjaya GopAla ThAkura vaMsa-parampara, that later becomes dikSa-parampara. For this reason PaNDita zrI zrI VaiSNava Pada DAsa BAbAjI, who is interested in history of his parampara, visited the house of zrI zrI RAdhA-Vinod-ThAkura GosvAmI in Begunkodar twice.

Seeing his various talents, his parents were very happy, but understood at the same time, that they could not keep him forever in their small village were he had no prospective for learning saMskRta and Vedic studies. Being the only child, his parents kept him carefully at home, but his mind was always running to NavadvIpa, the place where his most beloved zrI zacInandana, Gaurahari performs His lIlA eternally.

There was no hope for him that they would allow him to go to NavadvIpa, when ever he asked permission to leave, they became very unhappy. The more obstacles, he faced, the more determined he became. Desperately he was praying to his Lord, zrI zacInandana, and crying out to him, "May dear Lord, I am yours alone, why you do not take me to your holy dhAma? All our material relations are temporary but the bliss of serving You is constant. Please, be merciful to me my Lord, and bring me to your dhAma."

The Lord could not anymore tolerate his devotees suffering in separation from Him and His dhAma. Although it was a great sacrifice for them, his parents finally blessed him and gave him permission to leave to zrI DhAma NavadvIpa in September 2003.

There he happily began to study saMskRta and the Vedic scriptures under the shelter of the lotus-feet of the great VaiSNava AcArya zrI zrI Nizitha KumAra GosvAmI, who became immediately very pleased with him. He could understand that he will become a great AcArya of the VaiSNava-community. Satisfied him with his eagerness, humble behaviour, sincerity and his great talents as a singer and speaker of zrIpAtha (lecture on the VaiSNava-scriptures), he made him the lecturer in the central Govinda-Mandira of NavadvIpa. VaiSNava AcArya zrI zrI Nizitha KumAra GosvAmI gave him the flower-garland from his own neck and places his hand on zrI zrI RAdhA-Binoda-ThAkura GosvAmI's head

zrI zrI Nizitha KumAra GosvAmI introduced him to PrabhupAda PremagopAla GosvAmI, who is a direct descendent of zrIpAda NityAnanda Prabhu, and instructed him to teach him all the secrets of zrIpAtha.


What I have written is just a small introduction. I could write a whole book on him, but this I will save for later. He is a very affectionate person and he tries to get in contact with everyone who sits in his class, to reach their heart, to make them offer their heart to MahAprabhu. With great patience he puts difficult philosophy in very simple words so that everyone will understand it.

His personality has greatly influenced me and inserted great eagerness within my heart. He let me forget completely the material word and brought me to another level where on can experience at every step the great mercy of MahAprabhu.


He is not only studying but likes to preach and helps me to understand the deep meaning of the words of Caitanya CaritAmRta He sets a great example here for all the VaiSNavas, who respect and love him very much.

Always praying for just a drop of mercy in the form of seva to him.

iti,

AnurAdhA DAsI

His grandfather zrI zrI Praphulla-Kamala ThAkura GosvAmI was a very famous and powerful premic-devotee and a great paThaka and singer as well. He came to RAdhAkuNDa when he was a child of 11 years and lost his heart completely in RAdhAkuNDa. And spent most of the time there in Berakuli-mandir near Tinkuri-baba ashram. He was so filled with love for zrI RAdhA, that he could hardly speak Her name. His voice became choked with emotions and tears flow from his eyes, just by saying 'RAdhA'. He entered into nitya-lIlA in 1993.

He was well-known to zrI KuJjabihari DAs BAbAjI, who lived at the same time and who was also from Puruliya. They not only lived in the same district, but shared also the up to a certain point their guru-praNAlI, since both of their lines are descending from PaNDita zrI zrI DhanaJjaya GopAla ThAkura vaMsa-parampara, that later becomes dikSa-parampara. For this reason PaNDita zrI zrI VaiSNava Pada DAsa BAbAjI, who is interested in history of his parampara, visited the house of zrI zrI RAdhA-Vinod-ThAkura GosvAmI in Begunkodar twice.

Seeing his various talents, his parents were very happy, but understood at the same time, that they could not keep him forever in their small village were he had no prospective for learning saMskRta and Vedic studies. Being the only child, his parents kept him carefully at home, but his mind was always running to NavadvIpa, the place where his most beloved zrI zacInandana, Gaurahari performs His lIlA eternally.

There was no hope for him that they would allow him to go to NavadvIpa, when ever he asked permission to leave, they became very unhappy. The more obstacles, he faced, the more determined he became. Desperately he was praying to his Lord, zrI zacInandana, and crying out to him, "May dear Lord, I am yours alone, why you do not take me to your holy dhAma? All our material relations are temporary but the bliss of serving You is constant. Please, be merciful to me my Lord, and bring me to your dhAma."

The Lord could not anymore tolerate his devotees suffering in separation from Him and His dhAma. Although it was a great sacrifice for them, his parents finally blessed him and gave him permission to leave to zrI DhAma NavadvIpa in September 2003.

There he happily began to study saMskRta and the Vedic scriptures under the shelter of the lotus-feet of the great VaiSNava AcArya zrI zrI Nizitha KumAra GosvAmI, who became immediately very pleased with him. He could understand that he will become a great AcArya of the VaiSNava-community. Satisfied him with his eagerness, humble behaviour, sincerity and his great talents as a singer and speaker of zrIpAtha (lecture on the VaiSNava-scriptures), he made him the lecturer in the central Govinda-Mandira of NavadvIpa. VaiSNava AcArya zrI zrI Nizitha KumAra GosvAmI gave him the flower-garland from his own neck and places his hand on zrI zrI RAdhA-Binoda-ThAkura GosvAmI's head

zrI zrI Nizitha KumAra GosvAmI introduced him to PrabhupAda PremagopAla GosvAmI, who is a direct descendent of zrIpAda NityAnanda Prabhu, and instructed him to teach him all the secrets of zrIpAtha.


What I have written is just a small introduction. I could write a whole book on him, but this I will save for later. He is a very affectionate person and he tries to get in contact with everyone who sits in his class, to reach their heart, to make them offer their heart to MahAprabhu. With great patience he puts difficult philosophy in very simple words so that everyone will understand it.

His personality has greatly influenced me and inserted great eagerness within my heart. He let me forget completely the material word and brought me to another level where on can experience at every step the great mercy of MahAprabhu.


He is not only studying but likes to preach and helps me to understand the deep meaning of the words of Caitanya CaritAmRta He sets a great example here for all the VaiSNavas, who respect and love him very much.

Always praying for just a drop of mercy in the form of seva to him.

iti,

AnurAdhA DAsI