Appearance Day

Sri Heramba’s day of appearance is on the most auspicious Utthana Ekadashi, a day that is auspicious for the entire Gaudiya Vaisnava community. It was on that same lunar cycle day, that Srila Gourkishore Das Babaji Maharaj physically disappeared from this world. A most significant descendant of Lord Chaitanya who physically left us. In order to fill the gap, Lord Chaitanya sent Sri Heramba here in the world.

Initiation

Since childhood, Sri Heramba was extraordinary in his academics. He spiritually inclined to be connected with a pure devotee of the Lord. In this regard, he left for the Himalayas at a young age. While returning from the Himalayas, He stayed at Haridwar for some days. During that time, an economically rich but childless couple wanted to adopt Heramba as their son and offered to write their entire property in his favor. This lucrative offer did not take away Heramba‘s mind from his spiritual goal. Eventually, in 1925, Sri Heramba came to Mayapur with his friends and met with his Gurudeva, Jagadguru Srila Bhakti Siddhant Sarasvati Goswami Thakur Prabhupada (Srila Prabhupada). Two years later, Sri Heramba received initiation at No -1, Ultadanga Junction Road at Kolkata on 4th September 1927 on the auspicious day of Sri Radhashtami. He became known as Sripad Hayagriva Das Brahmachari.

Srila Prabhupada asked Hayagriva Prabhu, “What makes you extremely happy?

Seeing Sripad Hayagriva Prabhu’s service attitude, Srila Prabhupada used to say that you have amazing Volcanic Energy. Once, Srila Prabhupada asked Hayagriva Prabhu, “What makes you extremely happy?” Sripada Hayagriva Prabhu answered, “Srila Prabhupada, when you give me a service, which I have not yet been able to complete but again, you order me to do an additional service, that makes me extremely happy.”

Given shelter to all aspiring devotees

On 1st of January 1937 at 5.30 a.m after Srila Prabhupada’s physical departure, out of separation, all devotees felt a turmoil in their spiritual practices. Due to Sripad Hayagriva Prabhu’s attractive and exemplary preaching skills, many people wanted to take shelter of him. Eventually, Sripad Kunjabihari Vidyabhushan, later known as Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaj, as well as all the other godbrothers requested Sripad Hayagriva Prabhu to give shelter to all aspiring devotees.

Sannyasa Initiation

In order to fulfill the desire of Lord Chaitanya, on the day of Gaura Purnima in 1944, Sripad Hayagriva Prabhu took sannyasa initiation from his very dear senior godbrother, Srila Bhakti Gaurav Vaikhanas Goswami Maharaj at Tota Gopinath temple located in Puri, Odisha. He received the name Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Maharaj.

Established Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math

In 1953, for the sake of creating a base for every devotee to practice spirituality, Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaj established a spiritual society in the name of Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math with a non-sectarian and non-judgemental mood. He had spontaneous affection for all of his godbrothers. He often used to say, “For the service of my godbrothers, even if it is required for me to beg from door to door, I will do so.” He allowed all of his godbrothers to stay in his society and eventually, they could establish their own societies without hesitation.

Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaj’s broad Vision

Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaj’s broad vision was to make people understand the real goal of spiritual practice. Once, a businessman came to Mayapur and approached Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaj for opening a brick factory in his agricultural field. The businessman said, “Here in Mayapur, many temple constructions are going on. They need to buy bricks. You can sell them bricks and get enough money to manage your institutional activities. You can use the leftover bricks from the field for constructing your temple.” After hearing this proposal, Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaj told him, “Seth ji Mahashay, our proposal is very good. You are proposing to make the poor material detached, fakir, into the rich materially attached, amir. However, the goal of my society is to change the rich materially attached, amir, into the poor materially detached, fakir. Your proposal is materially attractive but for us it is not acceptable.”

Moving ahead with Lord Chaitanya’s Mission

Gradually, Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaj’s attractive preaching skills inspired many people to follow Lord Chaitanya’s mission. Eventually, Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaj established many centers around prominent cities in India. Gradually, Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaj’s attractive preaching skills inspired many people to follow Lord Chaitanya’s mission. Eventually, Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaj established more than 13 centers around prominent cities in India. Many spiritually advanced devotees, such as Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj, Sree Bhakti Vigyan Bharati Goswami Maharaj, Sree Bhakti Sundar Narsingha Maharaj, Sree Bhakti Suhrit Damodar Goswami Maharaj, Sree Bhakti Lalit Giri Goswami Maharaj, Sree Bhakti Prasad Puri Goswami Maharaj and many others joined and helped to expand Lord Chaitanya’s mission.

Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaja helped Gurupada Das, a disciple of Srila Bhakti Hrday Bon Goswami Maharaja

Once, Gurupada Das an economically poor householder devotee from Bengal, who was a disciple of Srila Bhakti Hrday Bon Goswami Maharaja, came to Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math in Kolkata. It was midday when he arrived but everyone had already completed their lunch prasadam. Then, Gurupada Das told a devotee who was residing at the temple that he would like to meet with Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaja; he introduced himself as a disciple of Srila Bon Goswami Maharaja. After hearing that Srila Bon Goswami Maharaja’s disciple had arrived, Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaja personally came downstairs from the second floor to the ground floor to see Gurupada who had just arrived. Seeing such a great acharya come down to meet him, Gurupada offered his obeisance and was completely shocked to see that Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaja personally came down to see him. In a sweet voice, Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaja asked, “What service can I do for you?” When the devotee heard those words, he felt shy hearing such words coming from the mouth of such an exalted devotee.

Then he spoke, “Actually, my spiritual master, Srila Bhakti Hrday Bon Goswami Maharaja, is permanently staying in Vrindavan but I don’t have any money to go to Vrindavan to meet with my gurudeva and take diksha initiation. I only took harinama initiation from him. So, I want to take diksha initiation from you, if you mercifully give me the diksha initiation.” After these words of the devotee, Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaja loudly laughed and embraced Gurupada; he said, “You are my spiritual nephew. I can do that only if my god-brother, Srila Bon Goswami Maharaja, orders me. Then, I can give you diksha on his behalf.” After hearing that, Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaja arranged for the devotee’s prasadam. Gurupada went home and eventually, was able to arrange money to go to Vrindavan and took initiation after several months from his gurudeva, Srila Bon Goswami Maharaj. This shows the loving relationship, generosity and simplicity of Srila Madhav Goswami Maharaj.

Physical Departure of Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaja

Before his physical departure, on the 27th of February 1979 in Kolkata temple, Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaja appointed Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj as his successor on 30 December, 1978 in order to continue with Lord Chaitanya’s mission. According to his wishes, Maharaj’s disciples took him from Kolkata to Mayapur and put him in samadhi there at Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math’s premises.

Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaj’s entire life allowed us to learn the main goal of Lord Chaitanya’s mission, real meaning of sincerity, generosity, magnanimity, purity and simplicity.