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About The Author Tridandi Swami Bhaktiratna Sadhu Maharaj Spiritual Master(s): Email: Sadhu.Swami@pamho.net Affiliations: Favorite Sites: Interests: Chanting Nityananda-Gauranga-nam, Writing and Publishing books on Gauranga-tattva, Chaitanya-Bhagavat Saptahas About the Author: From the childhood he had a spiritual inclination which was nurtured by his parents by the regular recitation of kirtans and bhajans of Lord Krsna in his home. He came across the multi-volume set of Shri Chaitanya-charitamrita, translated from Bengali by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, in the IIT Central Library when he was doing the 5-year Integrated MSc Chemistry Course in the Indian Institute of Technology Powai, Mumbai (the most prestigious university in India). While reading Shri Chaitanya-charitamrita, he learned how to read and understand Bengali and started chanting 32 rounds of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra from the very first day onwards. After the repeated reading of ShriChaitanya-charitamrita, he felt a very strong spontaneous attraction towards the glories of Lord Shri Gauranga Mahaprabhu who is the incarnation of Lord Krsna Himself in Kali-yuga. This was furthur nourished by the association of devotees who visited IIT for weekly programs. Lord Gauranga used him as an instrument to inspire many other students in IIT to become devotees, who also have presently dedicated their lives to practicing and preaching Krsna consciousness. After completing his 5-year course and obtaining his degree, he joined the International Society of Krsna Consciousness founded by Shrila Prabhupada, and served as a brahmacari-leader in book-distribution from the beginning. He excelled in this service. His most cherished moments were when he could single-handedly distribute 600 Gujarati Chaitanya-charitamrita sets (of 12 volumes) in a week, 3500 Bhagavad-gita As It Is in Marathi in one day in Pandharpur etc. He was the number two in book-distribution in the world for a few years. He was later put in charge of publishing, designing, marketing etc. of Shrila Prabhupada's books as the production manager of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, which is largest publisher of Vedic books throughout the world. He served in this position for more than 5 years. Due to his sincere and untiring efforts, the Vedic book production almost tripled in three years and BBT Mumbai became the largest publisher of Vedic books in the world in English as well other languages. Meanwhile he utilized his spare time in deeply studying the books and teachings of Shrila Prabhupada and later those of the previous acharyas, the associates of Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu. He is greatly respected as a powerful speaker on the science and philosophy of Krsna consciousness in English, Hindi and Gujarati. He was also one of the favourite speakers on the Aatma serial on Sony Telivision which was being broadcasted all over the world. Alongwith this he deeply meditated on Shrila Prabhupada's instructions for accepting the sannyasa order of life for the purpose of widely preaching Krsna consciousness, especially through Gaura-katha and the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Thus by the kind and most merciful arrangement of Lord Nityananda and the blessings and recommendation of his most merciful gurudeva His Grace Bhaktishastri Parampada Prabhu (present age 101 years, godbrother of Shrila Prabhupada and disciple of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saravati Thakura Prabhupada), he accepted the sannyasa order of life from His Holiness Tridandi Swami Bhakti Kumud Santa Maharaja [age 89 years (78 years in the renounced order), also godbrother of Shrila Prabhupada and disciple of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saravati Thakura Prabhupada] at Behala, Calcutta. He received the blessings of both his diksha-guru and sannyasa-guru to preach the message and pastimes of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as per the instructions of Shrila Prabhupada (his pre-eminent shiksha-guru), Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada (his parama-guru in his shiksha as well as diksha connection) and Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura (his most respectable parama parama guru). Shrila Bhaktiratna Sadhu Maharaja is presently working on the translation of many books establishing the glories of Lord Niti-Gauranga and the Hare Krsna Maha-mantra. He is also preaching Gauranga-katha and Krsna-katha in Mumbai through house programs, Chaitanya Bhagavata-saptahas, study groups, lectures etc. in Hindi, Gujarati, English etc. In his preaching activities, Maharaj is basically interested in spreading the glories of Lord Gauranga far and wide not in constructing huge temples or properties or collecting funds etc. Maharaj may accept voluntary donations for book translation and publication work but he tries to never ask personally any of his followers or disciples for funds because he is more interested in their spiritual life. Alongwith these preaching activities, his main service and contribution to spreading the glories of Lord Nityananda-Gauranga will remain specifically through the profuse writing and publication of spiritual literature on Their glories. Maharaja considers the writing and publishing work as his main service to Guru and Gauranga. His Holiness Bhaktiratna Sadhu Maharaj feels pain and anxiety when he sees that the common people do not even have a slightest bit of information about the crest-jewel of all incarnations of God known as Shri Nityananda-Gauranga, Who advented specifically to deliver the most fallen people in this age of Kali. He feels his life is useless if he is not able to educate the people about the glories of chanting the names and pastimes Lord Nityananda-Gauranga. This miserable condition of the conditioned souls arising out of ignorance about the most merciful incarnation Lord Nityananda-Gauranga is intolerable to Maharaj. As Shrila Prabodhananda Sarasvati states: achaitanyam idam vishvam, yadi chaitanyam ishvaram. "As long as the whole world does not accept Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Krishna Himself, it will remain simply as dead matter bereft of any consciousness (chaitanya)." Thus Maharaj will be extremely grateful to those who will help him to spread the glories of Shri Nityananda-Gauranga specifically by distributing Nityananda and Gauranga nama alongwith the maha-mantra, Shri Chaitanya-bhagavata (in various languages), Shri Chaitanya-charitamrita and other books glorifying Lord Nityananda-Gauranga alongwith Shrila Prabhupada's books in mass quantities. This will be the greatest service one can render to Maharaj's cause of spreading the glories of the Supreme Personalities of Godhead Shri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Shri Nityananda Prabhu. Shrila Bhaktiratna Sadhu Maharaj plans to write, translate and publish books regarding the Name, Form, Glories, Pastimes, Abode and Associates of Lord Nityananda-Gauranga in different languages for distribution in mass quantities at cost prices so that Lord Nityananda-Gauranga (hithero unknown incarnation) will become famous in this world. Since there will no monetary profit while distributing these books at cost price, Maharaj has formed the `Gauranga Book Fund' for accepting voluntary donations and sponsorship from one and all for the translation and publication of these books in various languages. By the direct inspiration of Shrila Prabhupada and the acharyas, by the instructions, order and permission of his own diksha guru and the great chanters of the 'Gauranga' Mantra like Shrila Shivananda Sena and ultimately by the direct order of the Guru of all Gurus, Adi-Guru, Sakshat Mula-Sankarshana, origin of the spiritual and material worlds Lord Shri Nityananda Prabhu, Shrila Bhaktiratna Sadhu Maharaj has launched the widescale and massive propogation of the chanting of the 'Nityananda' mantra and the four-syllable Gaura-Gopala Mantra 'Gauranga' alongwith the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra through the process of 'Gauranga-Mantra-Diksha' or 'Guru-Gauranga-Ashraya'. Also Shrila Sadhu Maharaja had always a desire to make everyone chant Lord Gauranga's name on the pretext of chanting his own name so that they will get the ultimate benefit of the human form of life immediately and get pur elove of God instantly. (gaurangera nama loya, tara haya premodaya) Our whole existence in this world should be to make as many people chant the most merciful names of Lord Gauranga. Thus by the blessings and inspiration of Guru and Gauranga, by the request of his disciples, and for the sole sublime purpose of making everyone in this world including himself repeatedly hear and chant the name of Lord Gauranga, he has accepted the title "Gaurangapada" meaning one who is begging for mercy at the lotus feet of the Patita-Pavana Avatara Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu to fulfil the mission of spreading His Name and Pastimes. Just by saying "Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami" people were not getting that kind of tremendous spiritual sukriti and benefit which they will now now get by addressing him as "Gaurangapada". Simple by uttering the name "Gauranga', pure love for Lord Krishna begins searching after that person. Books already published: (1) Chaitanya-Bhagavata in English 400 pages For mass distribution Rs.25 (2) Chaitanya-Charitamrita (Eng) 500 pgs condensed demo version for creating interest in Prabhupada's nine-vol set. Rs.35 (3) Maha-Mantra Yoga-The Complete Science of Chanting. Rs.25 (4) Our Eternal Home - Navadvipa Rs.25 (5) The Top 100 Names of God Re 1 only. (6) MP3 CD with 30 lectures on KC (NOI, NOD, SB etc.) Rs,10 only.
(7) Video CD with one lecture in Hindi with examples in KC Rs.10 only
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