Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura Disappearance day tomorrow(28 th December) - Fastiing till noon tomorrow

[Praveena (Priya Sakhi DD)]

Hare Krishna,

Tomorrow is the disappearance day of Srila Bhakti  Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur (He is the spiritual master of His Divince Grace AC Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada)

Fasting till NOON is recommended tomorrow. We will have Pushpanjali for him tomorrow evening at the temple

Schedule:

7:00 PM :        Aarthi

7:20 PM :        Pushpanjali for Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarawathi Thakur

7:30 to 8 PM : Reading/Lecture on  Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswathi

8PM onwards: Prasadam

His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhänta

Sarasvaté Goswami Thäkura

(1874-1937) 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was born in the holy

pilgrimage place of Jagannatha Puri to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, a

great Vaisnava acarya in the line of succession coming from Sri

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Although employed as a government

magistrate, Srila Bhaktivinoda worked tirelessly to establish the

teachings of Lord Chaitanya in India. He envisioned a worldwide

spiritual movement and prayed for a son to help him achieve his

dream.

On February 6, 1874, in the sacred pilgrimage town of Jagannath Puri,

where Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura served as superintendent of the

famous Jagannatha temple, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta appeared in this

world. He was given the name Bimala Prasada. At the age of seven,

Bimala Prasada had memorized the more than seven hundred

Sanskrit verses of the Bhagavad-gita and could speak illuminating

commentaries upon them. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the author of

many important books and other writings on Gaudiya Vaisnava

philosophy, trained his son in printing and proofreading.

By the time he was twenty-five years old, Bimala Prasada had

acquired an impressive reputation as a scholar of Sanskrit,

mathematics, and astronomy. His astronomical treatise, Suryasiddhanta,

won him the title Siddhanta Sarasvati in recognition of his

immense learning. In 1905, following the advice of his father,

Siddhanta Sarasvati accepted spiritual initiation from Srila

Gaurakishora dasa Babaji. Although Srila Gaurakishora dasa Babaji

was illiterate, he was renowned throughout the continent as a great

saint and Vaisnava acarya.

Siddhanta Sarasvati, although a great scholar, exhibited humility and

dedication in the presence of Srila Gaurakishora. Satisfied with such

humility and dedication of his highly educated disciple, Srila

Gaurakishora gave Siddhanta Sarasvati his full blessings and

requested him to "preach the Absolute Truth and keep aside all other

work." Upon the disappearance of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in 1914,

Siddhanta Sarasvati became editor of his father's journal, Sajjanatosani,

and founded the Bhagawat Press for the publication of

Gaudiya Vaisnava literature.

In 1918 Siddhanta Sarasvati accepted the renounced order of spiritual 

life, assuming the title Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami

Maharaja. For purposes of propagating Gaudiya Vaisnavism

throughout India, he organized the Gaudiya Math, with sixty-four

branches throughout the country. The headquarters of his mission, the

Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, is located in Sridhama Mayapura, the

birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta adjusted ancient traditions to conform with

technological and social conditions of the twentieth century. He

considered the printing press a most effective means of spreading this

message throughout the world and was himself the author of many

important translations, commentaries, and philosophical essays. He

was the first spiritual teacher in this line to allow his renounced

preachers (sannyasis) to wear Western clothes and travel in modern

conveyances rather that on foot. Throughout the 1930s, Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta expanded and increased his missionary work and

succeeded in reestablishing Gaudiya Vaisnavism as the leading force

in Indian spiritual life.

On January 1, 1937, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura passed

from this world.