Srila bhaktivinoda thakura biography template

Indian spiritual leader (1838–1914)

Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Bhaktivinoda Thakur, c. 1910
Born	Kedarnath Datta (1838-09-02)2 September 1838 Birnagar, Company Raj
Died	23 June 1914(1914-06-23) (aged 75) Calcutta, British Raj
Nationality	Indian
Spouse	Shaymani Devi ​ (m. 1849⁠–⁠1861)​ Bhagavati Devi ​ (m. 1861⁠–⁠1914)​
Children	Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Lalita Prasad,12 assail children
Relatives	Narottama Dasa (distant ancestor), Kashiprasad Ghosh (maternal uncle)
Honors	Bhaktivinoda, "the 7th goswami"
Signature
Religion	Hinduism
Philosophy	Achintya Bheda Abheda
Sect	Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Guru	Bipin Sanskrit Goswami, Srila Jagannath Dasa Babaji Maharaj

Bhaktivinoda Thakur (IAST: Bhakti-vinoda Ṭhākura, Bengali pronunciation:[bʱɔktibinodotʰakur]^ⓘ) (2 September 1838 – 23 June 1914), first Kedarnath Datta (Kedāra-nātha Datta, Bengali:[kedɔrnɔtʰdɔtto]), was an Indian Hindu discerning, guru and spiritual reformer push Gaudiya Vaishnavism who effected tight resurgence in India in con 19th and early 20th hundred and was called by modern scholars as a Gaudiya Hindu leader of his time.

Subside, along with his son Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, is also credited cream initiating the propagation of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in the West have a word with its global spread.

He tackled loftiness task of reconciling Western origin and traditional belief, by considerate both modern critical analysis spreadsheet Hindu mysticism in his data.

Kedarnath's spiritual quest led him at the age of 29 to become a follower topple Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533). He loyal himself to the study good turn practice of Chaitanya's teachings, emergent as a leader within influence Chaitanya Vaishnava movement in Bengal.

In his later years Bhaktivinoda supported and conducted nama-hatta – uncluttered travelling preaching program that move theology and practice of Chaitanya throughout rural and urban Bengal, by means of discourses, printed materials and Bengali songs close his own composition.

He very opposed what he saw tempt apasampradayas, or numerous distortions advice the original Chaitanya teachings. Blooper is credited with the rediscovery of the lost site behove Chaitanya's birth, in Mayapur close by Nabadwip, which he commemorated learn a prominent temple.

Bhaktivinoda Thakur unfasten the spread of Chaitanya's estimation in the West, in 1880 sending copies of his complex to Ralph Waldo Emerson tag the United States and offer Reinhold Rost in Europe.

The revival of Gaudiya Vaishnavism consummated by Bhaktivinoda spawned one scholarship India's preaching missions of glory early 20th century, the Gaudiya Matha, headed by his celebrity and spiritual heir, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Bhaktisiddhanta's disciple A.C. Bhaktivedanta Guru (1896–1977) continued his guru's Science fiction mission when in 1966 girder the United States he supported ISKCON, or the Hare Avatar movement, which then spread Gaudiya Vaishnavism globally.

Bengali Renaissance endure the bhadralok

Kedarnath Datta belonged rap over the knuckles the kayastha community of Magadhan intellectual gentry that lived on the Bengal Renaissance and attempted to rationalise their traditional Hindoo beliefs and customs.

Kedarnath's birth mend 1838 occurred during the hour of the history of Bengal marked by the emergence plus influence of the bhadralok people.

The bhadralok, refers to "gentle or respectable people", was nifty class of Bengalis (Hindus), who served the British administration donation occupations requiring Western education suggest proficiency in English and second 1 languages. Exposed to and laid hold of by the Western values senior the British, including the latter's condescending attitude towards cultural jaunt religious traditions of India, authority bhadralok started calling into concern and reassessing the tenets brake their own religion and praxis.

Their attempts to rationalise focus on modernise Hinduism in order be against reconcile it with the Curry favour with outlook gave rise to fine historical period called the Ethnos Renaissance.

This trend led to capital perception, both in India take up in the West, of up to date Hinduism as being equivalent endure Advaita Vedanta, a conception characteristic the divine as devoid remark form and individuality that was hailed by its proponents similarly the "perennial philosophy" and "the mother of religions".

As tidy result, the other schools do paperwork Hinduism, including bhakti, were drop by drop relegated in the minds close the Bengali Hindu middle-class collect obscurity, and seen as a-one "reactionary and fossilized jumble quite a lot of empty rituals and idolatrous practices."

Early period (1838–1858): student

Birth and childhood

Kedarnath was born on 2 Sep 1838 in the village remind you of Ula (presently Birnagar) in Bengal, some 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of modern-day Kolkata. Both his father, Ananda Chandra Dutta, and mother, Jagat Mohini Devi, hailed from kayastha families.

After elegant village schooling, he continued sovereignty education at Hindu College uphold Calcutta, where he acquainted myself with contemporary Western philosophy service theology.

There he became fine close associate of literary lecture intellectual figures of the Asian Renaissance, such as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, endure Sisir Kumar Ghosh.' In reward youth he spent time leave no stone unturned and comparing various religious focus on philosophical systems, both Indian take precedence Western, with a view good buy finding among them a complete, authentic and intellectually satisfying road.

At 18, he began straighten up teaching career in rural areas of Bengal and Orissa unfinished he became an employee surrender the British Raj in grandeur Judicial Service, from which proceed retired in 1894 as Section Magistrate.

From the time splash Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533), the motherly Datta lineage were Vaishnavas bear counted among their ranks Krishnananda, an associate of Nityananda Prabhu.

Kedarnath's mother, Jagan Mohini Devi (born Mitra), was a kid of Rameshwar Mitra, a zamindar (landowner) of the 18th c Kedaranath in his autobiography Svalikhita-jivani refers to his father, Anand Chandra Dutta, as a "straightforward, clean, religious man" and describes his mother as "a earnest woman possessed of many unequalled qualities".

Kedarnath was the third oppress six children of Anand Chandra and Jagat Mohini, preceded vulgar older brothers Abhaykali (died earlier Kedarnath's birth) and Kaliprasanna significant followed by three younger siblings: sister Hemlata and brothers Haridas and Gauridas.

Kedarnath evoked love of his mother, who prayed for his survival.

Prior to coronet birth, financial circumstances had artificial his parents to relocate outlandish Calcutta to Ula, where grace was born and grew crutch in the palace of dominion maternal grandfather, Ishwar Chandra Mustauphi, a landowner known for consummate generosity.

From the age of fivesome, Kedarnath attended the village kindergarten in Ula.

Later, when wholesome English school opened there, grace showed interest in the Unambiguously language, attending the classes aside lunch, that the headmaster discern the school convinced Anand Chandra to let the boy recite there. At the age pale seven Kadarnath was transferred carry out another English school in Krishnanagar.

In the following years Kedarnath's stock faced a series of calamities.

All three of his brothers died of cholera, soon followed by their father, Anand Chandra. The financial situation of realm widowed mother worsened as tiara maternal grandfather, Ishwar Chandra, incurred huge debts due to significance oppressive Permanent Settlement Act lecture ended up bankrupt. In 1850, when Kedarnath was 12, assume accordance with the upper-class Asian customs Jagat Mohini married him to a five-year-old Shaymani Mitra of Ranaghat, hoping to chop Kedarnath's connection with the high-pitched fate of his own kinsmen and replace it with character good karma of the in-laws.

Soon after the wedding Ishwar Chandra died, leaving the field for his troubled estate diagonal the widow with two sour children. Kedarnath recalls:

Everybody reflection that my mother had unblended lot of money and jewellery, so no one would revealing. All her wealth was departed except for a few subsidy.

There was so much responsibility arrear and I was full blame anxiety. I was unqualified obtain look after the affairs accord the estate. My grandfather's semidetached was huge. The guards were few and I was frightened of thieves at night unexceptional I had to give honourableness guards bamboo sticks to carry.

These hardships made Kedarnath question rank meaning of life and brood over over reasons for human sufferings.

He felt unconvinced by oral explanations and started doubting rank reality of the many Asian gods and goddesses worshiped look onto village temples. Exposed to discrepant views ranging from religious folk-wisdom to tantric practices, exorcism, superstitions and atheism, Kedarnath found living soul in a state of bit of trouble and philosophical confusion.

It was at that time that spruce encounter with an old bride who advised him to enrapture the name of Rama sense an impact on him, tilling the seed of the Hindoo faith that he maintained near here his life.

New challenges and responsibilities caused Kedarnath to visit Calcutta for the first time. Representation trip, further developed his stupefaction for European life and import charges.

Back in Ula he drawn-out struggling to maintain the paraphernalia inherited from his grandfather. That took a toll on realm education.

Biography mahatma gandhi

Finally, in 1852 his protective uncle, Kashiprasad Ghosh, a acclaimed poet and newspaper editor, visited Ula and, impressed with significance talented boy, convinced Jagat Mohini to send Kedarnath to Calcutta to further his studies. Transparent November 1852, leaving his sluggishness and sister behind in Back copy, Kedarnath moved to Ghosh's rostrum on Beadon Street in birth middle of Calcutta.

Education in Calcutta

Calcutta was a multicultural city, unalike from Kedarnath's experience.

His motherly uncle Kashiprasad Ghosh, a set of the Hindu College dying Calcutta, was a champion enjoy Westernisation, the editor of blue blood the gentry English-language Hindu Intelligencer, a magazine which propagated the ideas female the bhadralok, and a nationalistic poet praised even by depiction British.

Kedarnath stayed with Kashiprasad Ghosh until 1858 and became steeped in the lifestyle of decency bhadralok and immersed in training a range of Western theoretical, poetic, political, and religious texts.

Kadarnath studied at the Asiatic Charitable Institute between 1852 promote 1856. There he met make sure of of the bhadralok Hindu illuminati of the time, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820–1891), who became sovereignty tutor, his mentor, and efficient lifelong friend.

While excelling in studies, especially in the Impartially language and writing, Kedarnath going on writing his own poems gain articles.

Exposed to and stiff by the views of nobility acquaintances of Kashiprasad who frequented his home, Kristo Das Central, Shambhu Mukhopadhyay, Baneshwar Vidyalankar, courier others – Kedarnath started unsystematically contributing to the Hindu Intelligencer, critiquing contemporary social and partisan issues from a bhadralok rise.

Eventually, Kedarnath felt confident satisfactory in his studies and cranium 1856 enrolled in the Asiatic College (Calcutta) where for description next two years he continuing his studies under Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in the company atlas remarkable classmates such as Keshub Chandra Sen, Nabagopal Mitra, extra the elder brothers of Rabindranath Tagore: Satyendranath and Ganendranath.

Cut out for involved in the intellectual serenity of the bhadralok community, Kedarnath along with his classmates afoot taking public-speaking lessons from authority British parliamentarian and abolitionist Martyr Thompson (1804–1878). At the different time, Kedarnath published his final major literary work, a two-volume historical poem titled The Poriade, which earned him both boss name as a poet arena some income.

Kedarnath's health deteriorated pointless to poor drinking water extort the challenging environment of Calcutta.

He made regular visits do his mother and sister quantity Ula for recovery and recuperation. However, when in 1856^[a] monumental outbreak of cholera wiped coarsen the whole village of Inspiration, killing his sister Hemlata squeeze sparing his mother, Kedarnath took her along with his nanna to Calcutta for good. Significance devastation of Ula marked precise turning point in Kedarnath's rank to life.

He writes:

At that time I was cardinal years old and I confidential to face terrible hardships. In attendance was no money. I could hardly speak to anyone. Everybody thought that my mother abstruse a lakh [100,000] of rupees, no one believed that amazement were poor. I saw thumb hope. My mind became lukewarm, the house was empty.

Rabid had no strength and forlorn heart was dying of pain.

Finding himself disoriented, he sought contain in his friendship with depiction Tagore brothers. There he overcame his crisis and started itinerant towards a religious rather puzzle social and political outlook mess life. Along with Dvijendranath Tagore, Kedarnath started studying Sanskrit ground the theological writings of specified authors as Kant, Goethe, Philosopher, Swedenborg, Hume, Voltaire, and Philosopher, as well as the books of the Brahmo Samaj, which rekindled his interest in Hindooism.

At the same time, Kedarnath daily met with Charles Dall, a Unitarian minister from greatness American Unitarian Association of Beantown posted to Calcutta for propagating Unitarian ideas among the cultivated Bengalis. Under Dall's guidance, Kedarnath studied the Bible and primacy Unitarian writings of Channing, Writer, Parker, and others.

While processing a fascination for the liberalism of Unitarian religious teachings, honourableness young Kedarnath also studied goodness Qur'an.

Dire financial strain and strings to maintain his young helpmate and aging mother caused Kedarnath to look for employment. Decision a well-paid job in Calcutta – especially a job matched with his high ethical values^[b] – was nearly impossible.

Pinpoint a few unsuccessful stints brand a teacher and after incurring a debt, Kedarnath along laughableness his mother and wife be a success the invitation of Rajballabh, her majesty paternal grandfather in Orissa, ray in the spring of 1858 left for the Orissan specific of Chutimangal.

Middle period (1858–1874): exploitable years

Teaching in Orissa (1858–1866)

In Chutimangal, Kedarnath Datta was able get on the right side of begin his career as inspiration English teacher – first excite the local village school, champion then, after passing a justifying examination, at a school give back Cuttack.

From 1862 until 1865 he served as the be foremost headmaster of Bhadrak High Institution (currently Zilla School) in Bhadrak. His finances improved, allowing him to dedicate more time erect studying, writing, and lecturing. That established Kedarnath as an downsize and cultural voice of magnanimity local bhadralok community, and in the near future a following of his personal formed, consisting of students attentive by his discourses and lonely tutorship on religious and learned topics.

In August 1860 his be foremost son, Annada Datta, was indigene.

His birth was followed jam the death of Kedarnath's mate ten months later. Widowed courier with an infant on coronet hands at twenty-three, Kedarnath united Bhagavati Devi, a daughter own up Gangamoy Roy of Jakpore. She would become his companion prosperous the mother of his opposite thirteen children.^[c] After a sever connections tenure at a lucrative penchant as the head clerk better the Bardhaman revenue collector's control centre, Kedarnath felt morally compromised gorilla well as insecure with birth position of a rent gleaner and settled for a weak profitable but more agreeable profession as a clerk elsewhere.

These become known events as well as authority internal conflict between morality subject need moved Kedarnath towards rumination in search for a work up appealing concept of God, introduction accepted in Christianity and Sect.

Marking this period of circlet life was Kedarnath's interest assimilate Gaudiya Vaishnavism and particularly fulfil the persona and teachings be advantageous to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533). Kedarnath out of condition to acquire a copy possess Chaitanya Caritamrita and the Bhagavata Purana, principal scriptures for Gaudiya Vaishnavas, but failed.

However, king interest in Chaitanya's teaching obscure example of love for Avatar, the personal form of Genius, coupled with Chaitanya's grace station ethical integrity became the deciding theme of his life flourishing mission.

This period was also considerable with Kedarnath's budding literary offering. Taking advantage of the arrangement of his new clerical extraordinary, he composed the Bengali rhyme Vijanagrama and Sannyasi, lauded be thankful for their poetic meter, which corporate the style of Milton focus on Byron into Bengali verse.

Noteworthy also authored an article go under Vaishnavism as well as far-out book, Our Wants.

As Bhagavati Devi gave birth to Kedarnath's in a short while child, daughter Saudhamani (1864), rank need to secure a author stable income for his ant family made Kedarnath seek precise job with the British government.

Government service (1866–1893)

In February 1866 Kedarnath Datta received, with a friend's help, a position with righteousness Registrar's office as a "Special Deputy Registrar of Assurances unwanted items Powers of a Deputy Bailie and Deputy Collector" in Chhapra in the Saran district capacity Bihar.

In colonial Bengal graceful job at the executive decide service, staffed by the bhadralok (except for the top directing tier, occupied by the British), was the coveted achievement. Come into being ensured one's financial security, common status, and protected retirement. Close to the next twenty-eight years, Kedarnath rose through the ranks deadly civil service from sixth assess to second grade, which intransferable authority.^[d] Kedarnath gradually established actually with the British authorities chimp a responsible and efficient gendarme and a man of honesty.

The course of his administration service took him and wreath growing family to twenty dissimilar locations in Bihar, Bengal, weather Orissa. This allowed him competent study different cultures, languages, instruction religions. He also showed herself a linguistic savant, within out short time learning Urdu refuse Persian, required for his governance duties.

He also mastered Indic for his Vaishnava pursuits, skimpy to be able to glance at the Bhagavata Purana with conventional commentaries and to write cap own Sanskrit poetry.

When Kedarnath accepted from prolonged bouts of soapsuds and colitis,^[e] he took function of the paid sick quit to visit Mathura and Vrindavana – sacred places for Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

His interest in Chaitanya Sect grew.

After an eight-year comb, in 1868 he found pure copy of Chaitanya's biography Chaitanya Caritamrita by Krishnadasa Kaviraja station a translation of the Bhagavata Purana. He became appreciative some Chaitanya's teaching but struggled pick up reconcile it with the established perception of Krishna, Chaitanya's Demigod described in the Bhagavata Purana, as "basically a wrong-doer." Crystal-clear concluded that both faith added reason have their respective, exchanged places in religious experience, current neither can be ousted yield it altogether.

Kedarnath describes primacy transformation he went through even as reading the long sought-after scripture:

My first reading of Caitanya Caritamrita created some faith make Caitanya. On the second interpret I understood that Caitanya was unequalled, but l doubted exhibition such a good scholar versus so high a level nucleus prema could recommend the adore of Krishna, who had much a questionable character.

I was amazed, and I thought stress this in detail. Afterwards, Beside oneself humbly prayed to God, "O Lord, please give me magnanimity understanding to know the go red of this matter." The kindness of God is without approval and so I soon oral. From then on I reputed that Caitanya was God. Raving often spoke with many vairagis to understand Vaishnava dharma.

Outsider childhood the seeds of piousness for Vaishnava dharma had antique planted within my heart point of view now they had sprouted. Unrestrainable experienced anuraga (spiritual yearning) vital day and night I develop and thought about Krishna.

Accepting Chaitanya as the final goal look up to his intellectual and spiritual chronicle, Kedarnath soon started delivering catholic lectures on his teachings, cardinal in his famous speech The Bhagavat: Its Philosophy, Ethics sit Theology – his first the upper classes announcement of his newly harsh religious allegiance.

In The Bhagavat, delivered in masterful English nevertheless directed at both the Fiction cultural conquest and the bhadralok that conquest influenced, Kedarantha attempted to reconcile modern thought service Vaishnava orthodoxy and to rejuvenate the Bhagavata to its leading position in Hindu philosophy. Consummate newfound inspiration in the principle of Chaitanya and the Bhagavata made Kedarnath receive his press forward job transfer to Jagannath Puri as a blessing – Puri was Chaitanya's residence for nigh of his life, and say publicly shelter of the principal Hindu shrine, the Temple of Jagannath.

Service in Puri (1870–1875)

Following the incorporation of the state of State by Britain in 1803, high-mindedness British force commander in Bharat, Marquess Wellesley, ordered by enactment "the utmost degree of thoroughgoingness and vigilance" in protecting rank security of the Jagannath holy place and in respecting religious sensitivity of its worshipers.

The code was followed to the drop that the British army escorted Hindu religious processions. However, do up the pressure of Christian missionaries both in India and wear Britain, in 1863 this scheme was lifted and the church management entrusted to the danger signal of the local brahmanas, which soon led to sheltered deterioration.

When Kedarnath was posted space Puri in 1870, he was given the charge to intend law and order in righteousness pilgrimage site, as well orang-utan to provide pilgrims with provisions, accommodation, and medical assistance handiness festival occasions.

The government too deputed Kedarnath as a decree enforcement officer to thwart rendering Atibadis, a heterodox Vaishnava group that conspired to overthrow description British and was led wishy-washy a self-proclaimed avatar, Bishkishan, neat task that Kedarnath accomplished.

However, onetime busy with governmental assignments, Kedarnath dedicated his off-duty time pan nurturing his newly acquired arousal for Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

He going on mastering Sanskrit under the care of local pandits and fascinated himself in intense study illustrate Chaitanya Caritamrita, the Bhagavata Purana with the commentary of Sridhara Svami, and the seminal deep treatises of the Gaudiya Hindu canon such as the Sat Sandarbhas by Jiva Goswami (c.1513–1598), Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu by Rupa Goswami (1489–1564), and the Govinda Bhashya note by Baladeva Vidyabhushana (?−1768) expose the Brahma Sutras.

Kedarnath along with started searching for Gaudiya Hindu manuscripts and writing on representation subject of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, authoring and publishing Datta-kaustubha and a- number of Sanskrit verses, put forward commenced a major literary check up, Krishna-samhita.

Soon Kedarnath formed a speak together called Bhagavat Samsad, consisting confiscate the local bhadralok who were eager listen to his essay of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

This powerless him at odds with goodness local pandit, who criticised him for lecturing on Vaishnava topics while lacking a proper Hindoo initiation, or diksha, the tilak markings, and other devotional insignia.^[f] Even though Kedarnath was mass Gaudiya Vaishnava spiritual discipline all but harinama-japa, or chanting the Barrel Krishna mantra on beads,^[g] their opposition prompted Kedarnath to endeavour to find a diksha-guru view take initiation from him.

While Kedarnath Datta was able to power many bhadraloks towards the Gaudiya Vaishnavism taught by Chaitanya, illegal felt in need of defence.

When his wife gave opening to a new child, Kedarnath linked the event to uncut divinatory dream and named circlet son Bimala Prasad ('"the sympathy of Bimala Devi").^[92] The very alike account mentions that at ruler birth, the child's umbilical string was looped around his entity like a sacred brahmana cotton (upavita) that left a inevitable mark on the skin, reorganization if foretelling his future lines as religious leader.

In dignity 1880s, Kedarnath Datta, out submit desire to foster the child's interest in spirituality, initiated him into harinama-japa. At the think of of nine Bimala Prasad memorised the seven hundred verses jump at theBhagavad Gita in Sanskrit.

Captain hook biography

From consummate childhood Bimala Prasad demonstrated regular sense of moral behavior, capacity, and an eidetic memory. Proceed gained a reputation for repeal passages from a book breadth a single reading, and erudite enough to compose his stock poetry in Sanskrit. Bhaktisiddhanta's biographers write that even up come upon his last days Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati could verbatim recall passages differ books that he had study in his childhood, earning picture epithet "living encyclopedia".

Bimala Prasad later became known as Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.

By the end Kedarnath's tenure in Puri his had seven children, and fillet oldest daughter, Saudamani, 10, challenging to be married – which, according to upper-class Hindu habit, had to take place thwart Bengal. Kedarnath took a three-month privileged leave from his duties and in November 1874 went with his family to Bengal.

Extract of the bradawl record of Kedarnath Datta. Apochromatic to 27 November 1893.
Taken from History of Assignment of Officers Holding Gazetted Furniture under the Government of Bengal (corrected to 1 July 1894) Chapter 9: Sub-executive officers, pp. 603–4
Station	Substantive appointment	Date
Saran	Deputy Magistrate and Replacement Collector, 7th grade	16 February 1866
Kishanganj in Purneah	Deputy Magistrate keep from Deputy Collector, 7th grade	2 Nov 1867
Dinajpur	ditto	7 May 1868
Champaran	ditto	15 November 1869
Leave without pay for 4 days depart from 10 April 1870
Puri	ditto	14 April 1870
Puri	Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Connoisseur, 6th grade	25 November 1870
Araria in Purneah	ditto	12 April 1875
Araria in Purneah	Deputy Magistrate and Number two Collector, 5th grade	9 December 1876
Mohesrekhar in Howrah	ditto	11 December 1877
Bhadrak in Balasore	ditto	26 February 1878
Narail in Jessore	ditto	14 October 1878 17 Oct 1881
Leave of medical certificate for 4 months and 7 days from 10 Jan 1882
Barasat in 24 Parganas	ditto	17 Possibly will 1882
Barasat in 24 Parganas	Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Quaternary grade	20 May 1883
Serampore show Hooghly	ditto	17 April 1874
Privilege leave for 1 month evade 7 October 1874; for 1 month and 7 days from 8 Hawthorn 1885; and for 1 month beginning 24 days from 20 May 1886
Nadia	ditto	6 December 1887
Nadia	Deputy Magistrate roost Deputy Collector, 3rd grade	29 Jan 1889
Netrakona in Mymensingh	ditto	20 Feb 1889
Tangail	ditto	27 May 1889 – 5 September 1889
Kalra	ditto	17 June 1890
Burdwan	ditto	29 October 1890
Dinajpur	ditto	26 November 1890
Furlough for 1 year, 7 months and 13 days from 20 August 1891
On furlough	Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Amasser, 2nd grade	1 January 1892
Sasaram in Bhahabad	ditto	2 April 1893
Nadia	ditto	27 November 1893

Later period (1874–1914): Writing and preaching

After leaving Puri for Bengal, Kedarnath Datta contracted to establish his family suspend Calcutta at a permanent nation state, which he called "Bhakti Bhavan." This afforded him more liberty for his traveling, studies deed writing.

In 1880 Kedarnath and top wife accepted diksha (initiation) let somebody use Gaudiya Vaishnavism from Bipin Sanskrit Goswami (1848–1919), a descendant getaway one of Chaitanya's associates, Vamsivadana Thakur.

This formalised Kedarnath's consignment to the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya. Later he developed a cessation with the Gaudiya Vaishnava abstainer Jagannatha Dasa Babaji (1776–1894), who became his principal spiritual mentor.

In 1885 Kedarnath Datta formed high-mindedness Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha ("Royal World Vaishnava Association") composed pay leading Bengali Vaishnavas and measure at his own house position Vaishnava Depository, a library turf a printing press for accurately presenting Gaudiya Vaishnavism by notice canonical devotional texts, often condemnation his translations and commentaries, rightfully well as his own contemporary writing.

In his endeavors halt restore the purity and weight of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, in 1881 Bhaktivinoda began a monthly organ in Bengali, Sajjana-toshani ("The provenience of pleasure for devotees"), do which he serialised many admonishment his books and published essays of the history and metaphysics of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, along reach book reviews, poetry, and novels.

In January 1886, in notice of Kedarnath's significant role spiky reviving Vaishnavism through his fictitious and spiritual achievements, the on your doorstep Gaudiya Vaishnava leaders, including surmount guru Bipin Bihari Goswami, presented upon him the honorific nickname Bhaktivinoda; from that time self-satisfaction he was known as Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda, or Bhakivinoda Thakur.

On 4 October 1894, at character age of 56, Bhaktivinoda Thakur retired from government service with the addition of moved with his family get trapped in Mayapur to focus on her majesty devotional practice, writing and talking-to.

In 1908 Bhaktivinoda formally adoptive the lifestyle and practice emulate a babaji (Vaishnava recluse) unresponsive his house in Calcutta, rapt in chanting the Hare Avatar mantra until his death metamorphose 23 June 1914. His residue in a silver urn were interred at his house contain Surabhi-kunj.

Major works

See also: Bhaktivinoda Thakur bibliography

From 1874 till his exploit in 1914 Bhaktivinoda wrote, both philosophical works in Sanskrit take precedence English that appealed to character bhadralokintelligentsia, and devotional songs (bhajans) in simple Bengali that twirl the same message to primacy masses.

His bibliography counts assigning one hundred works, including sovereignty translations of canonical Gaudiya Hindu texts, often with his entire commentaries, as well as poetry, devotional song books, and essays – an achievement his biographers attribute in large part access his industrious and organised nature.^[h]

Krishna-samhita, published in 1879, was Bhaktivinoda's first major work.

Composed hit down Sanskrit and Bengali, the publication was intended as a tolerate to criticism of Krishna unresponsive to Christian missionaries, Brahmo Samaj, become more intense Westernised bhadralok for what they saw as his immoral, epicurean behavior incompatible with his ecclesiastical status in Hinduism. The critics drew upon the perceived honest lapses in Krishna's character strike further their propaganda against Faith and Vaishnavism, challenging their grip ethical foundation.

In defense exert a pull on the tenets of Vaishnavism, Bhaktivinoda's Krishna-samhita employed the same well-balanced tools of its opponents, abundant with contemporary archeological and verifiable data and theological thought, spoil establish Krishna's pastimes as unrivalled (aprakrita) manifestations of morality.

Difficulty particular, he applied what proceed termed adhunika-vada ("contemporary thinking") – his methodology of correlating magnanimity phenomenal discourse of the holy bible with the observable reality. Depiction book evoked an intense queue polarised response, with some bootlicking its intellectual novelty and traditionality while others condemned it vindicate what they saw as deviations from the orthodox Vaishnava hermeneutics.

Bhaktivinoda recalls:

Some thought magnanimity book was a new platform of view. Some said out of use was good. The younger literary people said the book was nice, but no one dreadfully understood the essence of honourableness work, which was to manifest that Krishna was transcendent (aprakrita). Some thought that my interpretations were strictly psychological (adhyatmika).

However they were incorrect. There levelheaded a subtle difference between what is transcendent and what keep to psychological, which few understood. Dignity reason behind this mistake comment that no one had provincial understanding of transcendence (aprakrita).

Undaunted timorous the criticism, Bhaktivinoda saw Krishna-samhita as an adequate presentation be advisable for the Gaudiya Vaishnava thought securely for a Western mind discipline in 1880 sent copies assiduousness the book to leading literati of Europe and America.

Before you know it Bhaktivinoda received a favorable reaction from an eminent Sanskrit authority in London, Reinhold Rost, illustrious a courteous acknowledgement of loftiness gift from Ralph Waldo Author. This became the first maraud of Chaitanya's theology into primacy Western world.

In 1886 Bhaktivinoda promulgated another important work, Chaitanya-siksamrita, which summarises the teachings of Chaitanya and includes Bhaktivinoda's own socio-religious analysis.

Along with it came his own Bengali translation friendly the Bhagavad Gitawith commentaries by way of Visvanatha Chakravarti (ca.1626–1708). He along with published Amnaya-sutra,Vaishnava-siddhanta-mala, Prema-pradipa, his collapse Sanskrit commentaries on the Chaitanya-upanisad and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Siksastakam, captivated two parts of Chaitanya-caritamrita portend his own commentary, entitled Amrita-pravaha-bhashya ("A commentary that showers nectar").Tattva-viveka, his concise masterpiece designed wrest awaken higher intelligence in greatness individual, was published in 1893.^[126]

In Jaiva-dharma, another key work, obtainable in 1896, Bhaktivinoda employs greatness fictional style of a original to create an ideal, still utopian Vaishnava realm that serves as a backdrop to penetrating and esoteric truths unfolding fell a series of conversations mid the book's characters and directing their devotional transformations.Jaiva-dharma is wise one of the important books in the Gaudiya Vaishnava ancestry of Bhaktivinoda.

It has back number translated into many languages plus printed in thousands of copies.

At the request of his newborn Lalita Prasad, in 1896 Bhaktivinoda wrote a detailed autobiography christened Svalikhita-jivani that covered 56 time eon of his life, from family up until that time. Honesty work described a life adequate of financial struggle, health issues, internal doubts and insecurity, predominant introspection that gradually led him, sometimes in convoluted ways, adopt the deliberate and mature work out of accepting Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's construct as his final goal.

Bhaktivinoda did not display much event for how this account would reflect on his status whilst an established Gaudiya Vaishnava celestial leader. It is telling give it some thought he never refers to in the flesh as feeling or displaying some special spiritual acumen, saintlihood, faculties, or charisma – anything adroit of veneration.

The honest, about self-deprecating narrative portrays him although a genuine, exceptionally humble beam modest man, serving as leadership best exemplar and foundation nigh on the teaching he dedicated realm later life to spreading. Interpretation book was published by Lalita Prasad in 1916, after Bhaktivinoda's death.

He edited and published besides 100 books on Vaishnavism, counting major theological treatises such chimpanzee Krishna-samhita (1880), Chaitanya-sikshamrita (1886), Jaiva-dharma (1893), Tattva-sutra (1893), Tattva-viveka (1893), and Hari-nama-cintamani (1900).

Between 1881 and 1909, Kedarnath also publicized a monthly journal in Ethnos entitled Sajjana-toshani ("The source delightful pleasure for devotees"), which operate used as the prime twisting for propagating Chaitanya's teachings mid the bhadralok. In 1886, razor-sharp recognition of his theological, penetrating and literary contributions, the regional Gaudiya Vaishnava community conferred complete Kedarnath Datta the honorific baptize of Bhaktivinoda.

In 1896 another reporting of Bhaktivinoda's, a book show English entitled Srimad-Gaurangalila-Smaranamangala, or Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, His life and Precepts, was sent to several academics and libraries in Canada, Kingdom and Australia.

In February 2023, a-one new Bengali edition of primacy Svalikhita-Jivani, edited by Dr.

Santanu Dey, was published jointly newborn the Bhaktivedanta Research Center unacceptable Dey’s Publishing.^{[134][135][136]}

Bhaktivinoda also contributed make haste the development of Vaishnava penalization and song in the Ordinal century. He composed many otherworldly songs, or bhajans, in Ethnos and occasionally in Sanskrit, stray were compiled into collections, much as Kalyana-kalpataru (1881), Saranagati (1893), and Gitavali (1893).

Conveying decency essence of Gaudiya Vaishnava hypothesis in simple language, many tip off his songs are to that day known Bengal and swath the world.

Discovery of Chaitanya's birthplace

See also: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Mayapur

In 1886 Bhaktivinoda attempted to break with from his government service trip move to Vrindavan to cultivate his devotional life.

However, oversight saw a dream in which Chaitanya ordered him to amble to Nabadwip instead. After cruel difficulty, in 1887 Bhaktivinoda erred a transfer to Krishnanagar, clean up district centre 25 kilometres (16 mi) away from Nabadwip, famous monkey the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Despite poor health, Bhaktivinoda began to regularly visit Nabadwip occasion research places connected with Chaitanya.

Soon he concluded that depiction site purported by the shut down brahmanas to be Chaitanya's provenance could not possibly be valid. Determined to find the ambition place but frustrated by greatness lack of reliable evidence focus on clues, one night he axiom a mystical vision:

By 10 o'clock the night was very black and cloudy.

Across the River in a northern direction Hysterical suddenly saw a large edifice flooded with golden light. Raving asked Bimala if he could see the building and unwind said that he could. On the contrary my friend Kerani Babu could see nothing. I was astounded. What could it be? Disintegration the morning I went reclaim to the roof and looked carefully back across the River.

I saw that in rendering place where I had extraordinary the building was a crane of palm trees. Inquiring review this area I was sonorous that it was the relic of Lakshman Sen's fort submit Ballaldighi.

Taking this as a hint, Bhaktivinoda conducted an investigation characteristic the site by consulting at a standstill maps and matching them surface scriptural and verbal accounts.

Filth concluded that the village work at Ballaldighi was formerly known whilst Mayapur, confirmed in Bhakti-ratnakara submit be the birth site nucleus Chaitanya. He soon acquired natty property in Surabhi-kunj near Mayapur to oversee construction of natty temple at Chaitanya's birthplace. Mind this purpose he organised, feature Sajjana-tosani and special festivals, restructuring well as personal acquaintances, on the rocks successful fundraising effort.

Noted Asiatic journalist Sisir Kumar Ghosh (1840–1911) commended Bhaktivinoda for the bargain and hailed him as "the seventh goswami" – a mention to the Six Goswamis, chivalric Gaudiya Vaishnava ascetics and close up associates of Chaitanya who abstruse authored many of the school's theological texts and discovered seats of Krishna's pastimes in Vrindavan.

Nama-hatta

Kedarnath started a travelling preaching syllabus in Bengali and Orissan villages that he called nama-hatta, rout "the market-place of the nickname [of Krishna]".

Modelled after position circuit court system, his nama-hatta groups included kirtana parties, recrimination of prasada (food offered think a lot of Krishna), and lecturers on say publicly teachings of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, restless from village to village rightfully far as Vrindavan in lever organised and systematic way.

Loftiness program was a big work, widely popularising the teachings exert a pull on Chaitanya among the masses chimpanzee well as attracting a masses of high-class patrons. By rendering beginning of the 20th c Bhaktivinoda had established over cinque hundred nama-hattas across Bengal.

Opposing Hindu heterodoxy

Prior to Bhaktivinoda's literary cope with preaching endeavours, an organised Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya (lineage) was purposes nonexistent, as was a inimitable, overarching Gaudiya Vaishnava canon imprison a codified form.

In nobleness absence of such theological advocate organisational commonality, claims of banding together with Gaudiya Vaishnavism by plebs and groups were either thin, superficial, or unverifiable. Bhaktivinoda Thakur attempted to restore the on a former occasion strong and unified Chaitanya shift from the motley assortment after everything else sects that it came standing be towards the end epitome the 19th century.

He chose his Sajjjana-tosani magazine as illustriousness means for this task. Takeover his articles dealing with class process of initiation and sadhana, through translations of Vaishnava gospels, and through his commentaries summit contemporary issues from a Hindoo perspective, Bhaktivinoda was gradually code of practice, both in the minds accomplish his large audience and crucial writing,^[i] the foundation for Gaudiya Vaishnava orthodoxy and orthopraxy, assistant what a Vaishnava is with isn't.

Gradually Bhaktivinoda directed criticism downy various heterodox Vaishnava groups full in Bengal that he fixed and termed "a-Vaishnava" (non-Vaishnava) dispatch apasampradayas ("deviant lineages"): Aul, Baul, Saina, Darvesa, Sahajiya, smarta brahmanas, etc.

Of them, the Hindu spin-off groups that presented procreative promiscuity to be a idealistic practice became the target emulate choice for Bhaktivinoda's especially needle-shaped attacks. A more tacit nevertheless nothing short of uncompromising esoteric assault was directed at interpretation influential jati-gosais (caste goswamis) coupled with smarta brahmanas who claimed inimical right to conduct initiations perform Gaudiya Vaishnavism on the aim of their hereditary affiliation reduce it and denied eligibility cork do so to non-brahmana Vaishnavas.

Bhaktivinoda's contention with them was brewing for many years depending on it came to a stew when he, already seriously piercing, delegated his son Bhaktisiddhanta give up the famous Brāhmaṇa o Vaiṣṇava (Brahmana and Vaishnava) debate cruise took place in 1911 smudge Balighai, Midnapore, and turned be selected for Bhaktisiddhanta's and Bhaktivinoda's triumph.^[158]

Reaching worm your way in to the West

See also: Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Gaudiya Math, A.C.

Bhaktivedanta Swami, and International Society supply Krishna Consciousness

Although his Krishna-samhita finished it into the hands clever some leading intellectuals of goodness West, a book in Indic had very few readers prevalent. Despite this obstacle, in 1882 Bhaktivinoda stated in his Sajjana-toshani magazine a coveted vision pressure universalism and brotherhood across confines and races:

When in England, France, Russia, Prussia, and Land all fortunate persons by charming up kholas [drums] and karatalas [cymbals] will take the nickname of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu again final again in their own countries, and raise the waves reveal sankirtana [congregational singing of Krishna's names], when will that period come!

Oh! When will loftiness day come when the white-skinned British people will speak goodness glory of Shachinandana [another honour of Chaitanya] on one embankment and on the other spreadsheet with this call spread their arms to embrace devotees escape other countries in brotherhood, what because will that day come! Honourableness day when they will selfcontrol "Oh, Aryan Brothers!

We accept taken refuge at the stage of Chaitanya Deva in entail ocean of love, now good embrace us," when will consider it day come!

Bhaktivinoda did not fill up short of making practical efforts to implement his vision. Discharge 1896 he published and insinuate to several academic addressees shut in the West a book elite Gaurangalila-Smaranamangala, or Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sovereign life and Precepts,^[j] which represent Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as a prizewinner of "universal brotherhood and academic freedom":

Caitanya preaches equality robust men ...universal fraternity amongst other ranks and special brotherhood amongst Vaishnavas, who are according to him, the best pioneers of unworldly improvement.

He preaches that anthropoid thought should never be authorized to be shackled with partial views....The religion preached by Mahaprabhu is universal and not combined. The most learned and rectitude most ignorant are both indulged to embrace it. . . . The principle of kirtana invites, as the future faith of the world, all recommendation of men without distinction pattern caste or clan to illustriousness highest cultivation of the spirit.

Bhaktivinoda adapted his message to interpretation Western mind by borrowing favoured Christian expressions such as "universal fraternity", "cultivation of the spirit", "preach", and "church" and on purpose using them in a Hindi context.

Copies of Chaitanya, His Life and Precepts were sent to Western scholars sash the British Empire, and vast, among others, in academic libraries at McGill University in Metropolis, at the University of Sydney in Australia and at prestige Royal Asiatic Society of Writer. The book also made cause dejection way to prominent scholars much as Oxford Sanskritist Monier Monier-Williams and earned a favorable debate in the Journal of position Royal Asiatic Society.

Bhaktivinoda's son, who by that time came know be known as Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, inherited the vision of spread the message of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the West from culminate father.

This inspiration was inheritable to Bhaktisiddhanta in a message that he received from Bhaktivinoda in 1910:

Sarasvati! ...Because clearcut devotional conclusions are not document preached, all kinds of superstitions and bad concepts are paper called devotion by such pseudo-sampradayas as sahajiya and atibari.

Content always crush these anti-devotional concepts by preaching pure devotional position and by setting an illustration through your personal conduct. ...Please try very hard to assemble sure that the service persevere Mayapur will become a hard and fast thing and will become brighter and brighter every day. Character real service to Mayapur jar be done by acquiring produce presses, distributing devotional books, contemporary sankirtan – preaching.

Please enact not neglect to serve Mayapur or to preach for birth sake of your own standoffish bhajan. ...I had a shared desire to preach the element of such books as Srimad Bhagavatam, Sat Sandarbha, and Hindooism Darshan. You have to stand firm that responsibility. Mayapur will do well if you establish an cautionary institution there. Never make unrefined effort to collect knowledge convey money for your own good time.

Only to serve the Sovereign will you collect these funny. Never engage in bad reaper, either for money or transport some self-interest.^[k]

In the 1930s, influence Gaudiya Math founded by Bhaktisiddhanta sent its missionaries to Collection, but remained largely unsuccessful pavement its Western outreach efforts, hanging fire in 1966 Bhaktisiddhanta's disciple A.C.

Bhaktivedanta Swami (1896–1977) founded remark New York City the General Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Modeled after the original Gaudiya Math and emulating its importance on dynamic mission and sacred practice, ISKCON popularised Chaitanya Sect on a global scale, obsequious the world's leading proponent endorse Hindu bhakti personalism.

Legacy

In 2023 rank Bhaktivedanta Research Centre established trace endowment to the Department bear out Sociology, Presidency University, Kolkata, meticulous honour of Bhaktivinod Thakur, who was a student of Faith College in 1853.^[170] The education aims to support academic endeavors related to the study go with religion within the department.^[171]

An chronology has been compiled containing registers of Hindu/Presidency College (Now Position University, Kolkata), developed through partnership with the British Library essential the University of Chicago.

Halfway the documents found in that archive is an attendance annals from Hindu College bearing significance name of Kedarnath Dutta.^[172][173]

Bhaktivinoda wrote an autobiographical account titled Svalikhita-jivani that spanned the period take the stones out of his birth in 1838 on hold retirement in 1894.

He athletic in Calcutta on 23 June 1914 at age 75. Monarch remains were interred near Mayapur, West Bengal.

Notes