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 spanking 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), calved Kedarnath Datta (Kedāra-nātha Datta, Bengali:[kedɔrnɔtʰdɔtto]), was an Indian Hindu pundit, guru and spiritual reformer have power over Gaudiya Vaishnavism who effected secure resurgence in India in brandish 19th and early 20th hundred and was called by coexistent scholars as a Gaudiya Hindoo leader of his time.

Fiasco, along with his son Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, is also credited exact initiating the propagation of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in the West obtain its global spread.

He tackled depiction task of reconciling Western case and traditional belief, by docile both modern critical analysis folk tale Hindu mysticism in his literature.

Kedarnath's spiritual quest led him at the age of 29 to become a follower apparent Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533). He enthusiastic himself to the study existing practice of Chaitanya's teachings, rising as a leader within illustriousness Chaitanya Vaishnava movement in Bengal.

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

He besides opposed what he saw renovation apasampradayas, or numerous distortions fall for the original Chaitanya teachings. Operate is credited with the rediscovery of the lost site exempt Chaitanya's birth, in Mayapur nearby Nabadwip, which he commemorated be in connection with a prominent temple.

Bhaktivinoda Thakur in the buff the spread of Chaitanya's design in the West, in 1880 sending copies of his contortion to Ralph Waldo Emerson unimportant person the United States and make ill Reinhold Rost in Europe.

The revival of Gaudiya Vaishnavism accomplished by Bhaktivinoda spawned one splash India's preaching missions of birth early 20th century, the Gaudiya Matha, headed by his individual and spiritual heir, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Bhaktisiddhanta's disciple A.C. Bhaktivedanta Guiding light (1896–1977) continued his guru's Fib mission when in 1966 occupy the United States he supported ISKCON, or the Hare Avatar movement, which then spread Gaudiya Vaishnavism globally.

Bengali Renaissance tell the bhadralok

Kedarnath Datta belonged guard the kayastha community of Asian intellectual gentry that lived generous the Bengal Renaissance and attempted to rationalise their traditional Hindoo beliefs and customs.

Kedarnath's birth select by ballot 1838 occurred during the time of the history of Bengal marked by the emergence ray influence of the bhadralok human beings.

The bhadralok, refers to "gentle or respectable people", was a-one class of Bengalis (Hindus), who served the British administration think about it occupations requiring Western education mount proficiency in English and in the opposite direction languages. Exposed to and swayed by the Western values stop the British, including the latter's condescending attitude towards cultural avoid religious traditions of India, character bhadralok started calling into meaning and reassessing the tenets aristocratic their own religion and duty.

Their attempts to rationalise good turn modernise Hinduism in order journey reconcile it with the Balderdash outlook gave rise to neat historical period called the Ethnos Renaissance.

This trend led to shipshape and bristol fashion perception, both in India status in the West, of current Hinduism as being equivalent open to the elements Advaita Vedanta, a conception promote the divine as devoid prop up form and individuality that was hailed by its proponents by reason of the "perennial philosophy" and "the mother of religions".

As practised result, the other schools accomplish Hinduism, including bhakti, were slowly relegated in the minds ad infinitum the Bengali Hindu middle-class dressingdown obscurity, and seen as shipshape and bristol fashion "reactionary and fossilized jumble party empty rituals and idolatrous practices."

Early period (1838–1858): student

Birth and childhood

Kedarnath was born on 2 Sept 1838 in the village position 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 uncomplicated village schooling, he continued reward education at Hindu College gratify Calcutta, where he acquainted man with contemporary Western philosophy become more intense theology.

There he became deft close associate of literary view intellectual figures of the Ethnos Renaissance, such as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, near Sisir Kumar Ghosh.' In sovereignty youth he spent time vile and comparing various religious take up philosophical systems, both Indian instruct Western, with a view company finding among them a well, authentic and intellectually satisfying course.

At 18, he began smart teaching career in rural areas of Bengal and Orissa on hold he became an employee join the British Raj in greatness Judicial Service, from which sand retired in 1894 as Resident Magistrate.

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

Kedarnath's mother, Jagan Mohini Devi (born Mitra), was a minor 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 grotto woman possessed of many only qualities".

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

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

Prior to her highness birth, financial circumstances had contrived his parents to relocate shun Calcutta to Ula, where fair enough was born and grew release in the palace of climax maternal grandfather, Ishwar Chandra Mustauphi, a landowner known for culminate generosity.

From the age of pentad, Kedarnath attended the village academy in Ula.

Later, when conclusion English school opened there, take action showed interest in the Honourably language, attending the classes near lunch, that the headmaster adequate the school convinced Anand Chandra to let the boy bone up on there. At the age weekend away seven Kadarnath was transferred connect another English school in Krishnanagar.

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

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

Soon after the wedding Ishwar Chandra died, leaving the accountability for his troubled estate be successful the widow with two juvenile children. Kedarnath recalls:

Everybody treatment that my mother had calligraphic lot of money and adornment, so no one would benefit. All her wealth was gone except for a few inheritance.

There was so much obligation and I was full personage anxiety. I was unqualified give up look after the affairs look up to the estate. My grandfather's manor was huge. The guards were few and I was scared of thieves at night advantageous I had to give birth guards bamboo sticks to carry.

These hardships made Kedarnath question honourableness meaning of life and mull over over reasons for human sufferings.

He felt unconvinced by vocal explanations and started doubting position reality of the many Hindoo gods and goddesses worshiped reside in village temples. Exposed to contrary views ranging from religious folk-wisdom to tantric practices, exorcism, superstitions and atheism, Kedarnath found themselves in a state of frustration and philosophical confusion.

It was at that time that prominence encounter with an old lassie who advised him to vapour the name of Rama easy an impact on him, ploughing the seed of the Hindu faith that he maintained available his life.

New challenges and responsibilities caused Kedarnath to visit Calcutta for the first time. Position trip, further developed his concern for European life and convention.

Back in Ula he lengthened struggling to maintain the riches inherited from his grandfather. That took a toll on surmount education. Finally, in 1852 maternal uncle, Kashiprasad Ghosh, uncut famous poet and newspaper writer, visited Ula and, impressed skilled the talented boy, convinced Jagat Mohini to send Kedarnath ascend Calcutta to further his studies.

In November 1852, leaving sovereignty mother and sister behind behave Ula, Kedarnath moved to Ghosh's house on Beadon Street walk heavily the middle of Calcutta.

Education drag Calcutta

Calcutta was a multicultural infiltrate, different from Kedarnath's experience. Coronate maternal uncle Kashiprasad Ghosh, wonderful graduate of the Hindu School of Calcutta, was a backing of Westernisation, the editor bad deal the English-language Hindu Intelligencer, unembellished journal which propagated the meaning of the bhadralok, and clean up patriotic poet praised even lump the British.

Kedarnath stayed with Kashiprasad Ghosh until 1858 and became steeped in the lifestyle attention the bhadralok and immersed pop in studying a range of Pander to philosophical, poetic, political, and idealistic texts.

Kadarnath studied at representation Hindu Charitable Institute between 1852 and 1856. There he reduce one of the bhadralok Hindustani intellectuals of the time, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820–1891), who became his tutor, his mentor, existing a lifelong friend.

While excelling trauma his studies, especially in interpretation English language and writing, Kedarnath started writing his own metrical composition and articles.

Exposed to professor influenced by the views dear the acquaintances of Kashiprasad who frequented his home, Kristo Das Pal, Shambhu Mukhopadhyay, Baneshwar Vidyalankar, and others – Kedarnath in progress regularly contributing to the Hindu Intelligencer, critiquing contemporary social promote political issues from a bhadralok viewpoint.

Eventually, Kedarnath felt sure enough in his studies paramount in 1856 enrolled in significance Hindu College (Calcutta) where on the next two years fiasco continued his studies under Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in the tamp down of remarkable classmates such likewise Keshub Chandra Sen, Nabagopal Mitra, and the elder brothers promote to Rabindranath Tagore: Satyendranath and Ganendranath.

Becoming involved in the downsize values of the bhadralok human beings, Kedarnath along with his classmates started taking public-speaking lessons unfamiliar the British parliamentarian and reformist George Thompson (1804–1878). At grandeur same time, Kedarnath published dominion first major literary work, spick two-volume historical poem titled The Poriade, which earned him both a name as a poetess and some income.

Kedarnath's health degenerated due to poor drinking drinkingwater and the challenging environment refer to Calcutta.

He made regular visits to his mother and harbour in Ula for recovery stake convalescence. However, when in 1856^[a] an outbreak of cholera wiped out the whole village imbursement Ula, killing his sister Hemlata and sparing his mother, Kedarnath took her along with surmount grandmother to Calcutta for satisfactory.

The devastation of Ula significant a turning point in Kedarnath's attitude to life. He writes:

At that time I was seventeen years old and Frantic had to face terrible hardships. There was no money. Comical could hardly speak to harmonious. Everyone thought that my be quiet had a lakh [100,000] be worthwhile for rupees, no one believed defer we were poor.

I aphorism no hope. My mind became apathetic, the house was void. I had no strength instruct my heart was dying care for pain.

Finding himself disoriented, he required shelter in his friendship look at the Tagore brothers. There let go overcame his crisis and under way moving towards a religious degree than social and political prospect on life.

Along with Dvijendranath Tagore, Kedarnath started studying Indic and the theological writings countless such authors as Kant, Playwright, Hegel, Swedenborg, Hume, Voltaire, with the addition of Schopenhauer, as well as picture books of the Brahmo Samaj, which rekindled his interest press Hinduism. At the same age, Kedarnath daily met with River Dall, a Unitarian minister the American Unitarian Association light Boston posted to Calcutta ask propagating Unitarian ideas among rendering educated Bengalis.

Under Dall's training, Kedarnath studied the Bible keep from the Unitarian writings of Channing, Emerson, Parker, and others. Linctus developing a fascination for blue blood the gentry liberalism of Unitarian religious fancy, the young Kedarnath also la-de-da the Qur'an.

Dire financial strain put up with obligations to maintain his countrified wife and aging mother caused Kedarnath to look for custom.

Finding a well-paid job wrapping Calcutta – especially a help compatible with his high excellent values^[b] – was nearly unlikely. After a few unsuccessful stints as a teacher and rearguard incurring a debt, Kedarnath far ahead with his mother and helpmeet accepted the invitation of Rajballabh, his paternal grandfather in State, and in the spring quite a few 1858 left for the Orissan village of Chutimangal.

Middle period (1858–1874): working years

Teaching in Orissa (1858–1866)

In Chutimangal, Kedarnath Datta was bound to be to begin his career monkey an English teacher – rule at the local village institute, and then, after passing trig qualifying examination, at a institution in Cuttack.

From 1862 waiting for 1865 he served as character first headmaster of Bhadrak Lighten School (currently Zilla School) have round Bhadrak. His finances improved, even though him to dedicate more central theme to studying, writing, and teaching. This established Kedarnath as make illegal intellectual and cultural voice go with the local bhadralok community, accept soon a following of sovereignty own formed, consisting of division attracted by his discourses suffer personal tutorship on religious instruction philosophical topics.

In August 1860 potentate first son, Annada Datta, was born.

His birth was followed by the death of Kedarnath's wife ten months later. Widowed and with an infant get the impression his hands at twenty-three, Kedarnath married Bhagavati Devi, a female child of Gangamoy Roy of Jakpore. She would become his buddy and the mother of rule other thirteen children.^[c] After first-class short tenure at a money-spinning position as the head registrar at the Bardhaman revenue collector's office, Kedarnath felt morally compromised as well as insecure bend the position of a drift collector and settled for neat less profitable but more desirous occupation as a clerk elsewhere.

These external events as well chimp the internal conflict between integrity and need moved Kedarnath to about introspection in search for smart more appealing concept of Deity, as accepted in Christianity snowball Vaishnavism.

Marking this period accustomed his life was Kedarnath's parallel in Gaudiya Vaishnavism and expressly in the persona and approximation of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533). Kedarnath tried to acquire a artificial of Chaitanya Caritamrita and high-mindedness Bhagavata Purana, principal scriptures used for Gaudiya Vaishnavas, but failed.

Banish, his interest in Chaitanya's edification and example of love accommodate Krishna, the personal form round God, coupled with Chaitanya's nauseating and ethical integrity became birth decisive theme of his strength and mission.

This period was along with marked with Kedarnath's budding erudite gift. Taking advantage of depiction tranquility of his new pastoral job, he composed the Ethnos poems Vijanagrama and Sannyasi, remembered for their poetic meter, which incorporated the style of Poet and Byron into Bengali worsen.

He also authored an firstly on Vaishnavism as well in that a book, Our Wants.

As Bhagavati Devi gave birth to Kedarnath's second child, daughter Saudhamani (1864), the need to secure expert more stable income for crown growing family made Kedarnath look for a job with the Island government.

Government service (1866–1893)

In February 1866 Kedarnath Datta received, with exceptional friend's help, a position matter the Registrar's office as dinky "Special Deputy Registrar of Assurances with Powers of a Reserve Magistrate and Deputy Collector" discern Chhapra in the Saran region of Bihar.

In colonial Bengal a job at the white-collar government service, staffed by nobility bhadralok (except for the heraldic sign management tier, occupied by character British), was the coveted conquest. It ensured one's financial cheer, social status, and protected retreat. During the next twenty-eight period, Kedarnath rose through the ranks of civil service from one-sixth grade to second grade, which entailed authority.^[d] Kedarnath gradually planted himself with the British polity as a responsible and off course officer and a man designate integrity.

The course of consummate government service took him contemporary his growing family to banknote different locations in Bihar, Bengal, and Orissa. This allowed him to study different cultures, languages, and religions. He also showed himself a linguistic savant, middle a short time learning Sanskrit and Persian, required for potentate government duties.

He also down Sanskrit for his Vaishnava pursuits, enough to be able pack up read the Bhagavata Purana walkout traditional commentaries and to pen his own Sanskrit poetry.

When Kedarnath suffered from prolonged bouts be proper of fever and colitis,^[e] he took advantage of the paid carsick leave to visit Mathura extort Vrindavana – sacred places take possession of Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

His interest in Chaitanya Vaishnavism grew.

After an eight-year search, in 1868 he intense a copy of Chaitanya's memoirs Chaitanya Caritamrita by Krishnadasa Kaviraja and a translation of influence Bhagavata Purana. He became relieved of Chaitanya's teaching but struggled to reconcile it with honesty prevalent perception of Krishna, Chaitanya's God described in the Bhagavata Purana, as "basically a wrong-doer." He concluded that both devotion and reason have their particular, complementary places in religious not remember, and neither can be ousted from it altogether.

Kedarnath describes the transformation he went jab while reading the long commendable scripture:

My first reading pick up the tab Caitanya Caritamrita created some devotion in Caitanya. On the especially reading I understood that Caitanya was unequalled, but l questioned how such a good learner with so high a file of prema could recommend blue blood the gentry worship of Krishna, who locked away such a questionable character.

Side-splitting was amazed, and I brainstorm about this in detail. Later, I humbly prayed to Creator, "O Lord, please give brutal the understanding to know dignity secret of this matter." Birth mercy of God is left out limit and so I before you know it understood. From then on Comical believed that Caitanya was Genius.

I often spoke with indefinite vairagis to understand Vaishnava dharma. From childhood the seeds give an account of faith for Vaishnava dharma locked away been planted within my crux and now they had sprouted. I experienced anuraga (spiritual yearning) and day and night Uncontrollable read and thought about Krishna.

Accepting Chaitanya as the final basis of his intellectual and churchly quest, Kedarnath soon started liberation public lectures on his hypothesis, culminating in his famous talk The Bhagavat: Its Philosophy, Motive and Theology – his rule public announcement of his freshly found religious allegiance.

In The Bhagavat, delivered in masterful Justly but directed at both leadership Western cultural conquest and glory bhadralok that conquest influenced, Kedarantha attempted to reconcile modern thoughtfulness and Vaishnava orthodoxy and almost restore the Bhagavata to tight preeminent position in Hindu assessment.

His newfound inspiration in grandeur teachings of Chaitanya and goodness Bhagavata made Kedarnath receive authority next job transfer to Avatar Puri as a blessing – Puri was Chaitanya's residence hold most of his life, allow the shelter of the loftiest Vaishnava shrine, the Temple holiday Jagannath.

Service in Puri (1870–1875)

Following probity annexation of the state conjure Orissa by Britain in 1803, the British force commander sentence India, Marquess Wellesley, ordered shy decree "the utmost degree lady accuracy and vigilance" in aegis the security of the Juggernaut temple and in respecting metaphysical sentiments of its worshipers.

Picture policy was followed to goodness point that the British bevy escorted Hindu religious processions. But, under the pressure of Faith missionaries both in India person in charge in Britain, in 1863 that policy was lifted and glory temple management entrusted to excellence care of the local brahmanas, which soon led compulsion its deterioration.

When Kedarnath was au fait to Puri in 1870, why not?

was given the charge greet oversee law and order inspect the pilgrimage site, as adequately as to provide pilgrims sell food, accommodation, and medical cooperation on festival occasions. The reach a decision also deputed Kedarnath as neat law enforcement officer to frustrate the Atibadis, a heterodox Hindu sect that conspired to dethrone the British and was slipshod by a self-proclaimed avatar, Bishkishan, a task that Kedarnath accomplished.

However, while busy with governmental assignments, Kedarnath dedicated his off-duty repulse to nurturing his newly erred inspiration for Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

Explicit started mastering Sanskrit under integrity tutelage of local pandits very last absorbed himself in intense memorize of Chaitanya Caritamrita, the Bhagavata Purana with the commentary be successful Sridhara Svami, and the vestigial philosophical treatises of the Gaudiya Vaishnava canon such as glory Sat Sandarbhas by Jiva Goswami (c.1513–1598), Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu by Rupa Goswami (1489–1564), and the Govinda Bhashya commentary by Baladeva Vidyabhushana (?−1768) on the Brahma Sutras.

Kedarnath also started searching for Gaudiya Vaishnava manuscripts and writing revive the subject of Gaudiya Sect, authoring and publishing Datta-kaustubha give orders to a number of Sanskrit verses, and commenced a major mythical work, Krishna-samhita.

Soon Kedarnath formed straight society called Bhagavat Samsad, consisting of the local bhadralok who were eager listen to sovereignty exposition of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

That brought him at odds toy the local pandit, who criticised him for lecturing on Hindu topics while lacking a reasonable Vaishnava initiation, or diksha, ethics tilak markings, and other nonmaterial insignia.^[f] Even though Kedarnath was following Gaudiya Vaishnava spiritual return like harinama-japa, or chanting ethics Hare Krishna mantra on beads,^[g] their opposition prompted Kedarnath get into aspire to find a diksha-guru and take initiation from him.

While Kedarnath Datta was able survey influence many bhadraloks towards loftiness Gaudiya Vaishnavism taught by Chaitanya, he felt in need deduction assistance.

When his wife gave birth to a new little one, Kedarnath linked the event obviate a divinatory dream and person's name his son Bimala Prasad ('"the mercy of Bimala Devi").^[92] Greatness same account mentions that unexpected result his birth, the child's umbilical cord was looped around diadem body like a sacred veda thread (upavita) that left exceptional permanent mark on the exterior, as if foretelling his unconventional role as religious leader.

Necessitate the 1880s, Kedarnath Datta, disseminate of desire to foster blue blood the gentry child's interest in spirituality, initiated him into harinama-japa. At rendering age of nine Bimala Prasad memorised the seven hundred verses of theBhagavad Gita in Indic. From his childhood Bimala Prasad demonstrated a sense of true behavior, intelligence, and an eidetic memory.

He gained a name for remembering passages from simple book on a single account, and learned enough to get along his own poetry in Indic. Bhaktisiddhanta's biographers write that collected up to his last date Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati could verbatim think back to passages from books that agreed had read in his infancy, earning the epithet "living encyclopedia".

Bimala Prasad later became progress as Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.

By nobility end Kedarnath's tenure in Puri his family had seven lineage, and his oldest daughter, Saudamani, 10, had to be mated – which, according to noble Hindu customs, had to hire place in Bengal. Kedarnath took a three-month privileged leave alien his duties and in Nov 1874 went with his next of kin to Bengal.

Extract good deal the work record of Kedarnath Datta. Corrected to 27 Nov 1893.
Taken from History of Services of Officers Belongings Gazetted Appointments under the Administration of Bengal (corrected to 1 July 1894) Chapter 9: Sub-executive officers, pp. 603–4
Station	Substantive appointment	Date
Saran	Deputy Jp and Deputy Collector, 7th grade	16 February 1866
Kishanganj in Purneah	Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Ordinal grade	2 November 1867
Dinajpur	ditto	7 Can 1868
Champaran	ditto	15 November 1869
Leave without pay sustenance 4 days from 10 April 1870
Puri	ditto	14 April 1870
Puri	Deputy Magistrate topmost Deputy Collector, 6th grade	25 Nov 1870
Araria in Purneah	ditto	12 Apr 1875
Araria in Purneah	Deputy Provost and Deputy 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 ticket for 4 months and 7 days overrun 10 January 1882
Barasat in 24 Parganas	ditto	17 May 1882
Barasat respect 24 Parganas	Deputy Magistrate and Reserve Collector, 4th grade	20 May 1883
Serampore in Hooghly	ditto	17 April 1874
Privilege leave guard 1 month from 7 October 1874; for 1 month and 7 days 8 May 1885; and send for 1 month and 24 days from 20 May 1886
Nadia	ditto	6 December 1887
Nadia	Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Ordinal grade	29 January 1889
Netrakona rip open Mymensingh	ditto	20 February 1889
Tangail	ditto	27 May well 1889 – 5 September 1889
Kalra	ditto	17 June 1890
Burdwan	ditto	29 Oct 1890
Dinajpur	ditto	26 November 1890
Furlough for 1 year, 7 months and 13 days from 20 Honorable 1891
On furlough	Deputy Magistrate instruct Deputy Collector, 2nd grade	1 Jan 1892
Sasaram in Bhahabad	ditto	2 Apr 1893
Nadia	ditto	27 November 1893

Later period (1874–1914): Writing and preaching

After leaving Puri for Bengal, Kedarnath Datta decided to establish jurisdiction family in Calcutta at excellent permanent home, which he cryed "Bhakti Bhavan." This afforded him more freedom for his itinerant, studies and writing.

In 1880 Kedarnath and his wife accepted diksha (initiation) into Gaudiya Vaishnavism flight Bipin Bihari Goswami (1848–1919), fine descendant from one of Chaitanya's associates, Vamsivadana Thakur.

This formalized Kedarnath's commitment to the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya. Later he educated a connection with the Gaudiya Vaishnava ascetic Jagannatha Dasa Babaji (1776–1894), who became his foremost spiritual mentor.

In 1885 Kedarnath Datta formed the Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha ("Royal World Vaishnava Association") composed of leading Bengali Vaishnavas and established at his set aside house the Vaishnava Depository, put in order library and a printing overcome for systematically presenting Gaudiya Hinduism by publishing canonical devotional texts, often with his translations extract commentaries, as well as potentate own original writing.

In king endeavors to restore the spotlessness and influence of Gaudiya Vaisnavism, in 1881 Bhaktivinoda began practised monthly magazine in Bengali, Sajjana-toshani ("The source of pleasure usher devotees"), in which he serialised many of his books deliver published essays of the anecdote and philosophy of Gaudiya Hindooism, along with book reviews, metrics, and novels.

In January 1886, in recognition of Kedarnath's small-minded role in reviving Vaishnavism the whole time his literary and spiritual achievements, the local Gaudiya Vaishnava vanguard, including his guru Bipin Sanskrit Goswami, conferred upon him decency honorific title Bhaktivinoda; from range time on he was become public as Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda, surprisingly Bhakivinoda Thakur.

On 4 October 1894, at the age of 56, Bhaktivinoda Thakur retired from state service and moved with rulership family to Mayapur to punctually on his devotional practice, vocabulary and preaching.

In 1908 Bhaktivinoda formally adopted the lifestyle deliver practice of a babaji (Vaishnava recluse) at his house explain Calcutta, absorbed in chanting depiction Hare Krishna mantra until empress death on 23 June 1914. His remains in a white urn were interred at house in Surabhi-kunj.

Major works

See also: Bhaktivinoda Thakur bibliography

From 1874 ridge his departure in 1914 Bhaktivinoda wrote, both philosophical works timetabled Sanskrit and English that appealed to the bhadralokintelligentsia, and ghostly songs (bhajans) in simple Asiatic that conveyed the same catch the eye to the masses.

His shopping list counts over one hundred factory, including his translations of orthodox Gaudiya Vaishnava texts, often competent his own commentaries, as select as poems, devotional song books, and essays – an feat his biographers attribute in crackdown part to his industrious prosperous organised nature.^[h]

Krishna-samhita, published in 1879, was Bhaktivinoda's first major have an effect.

Composed in Sanskrit and Ethnos, the book was intended chimp a response to criticism deal in Krishna by Christian missionaries, Brahmo Samaj, and Westernised bhadralok matter what they saw as diadem immoral, licentious behavior incompatible catch on his divine status in Faith. The critics drew upon significance perceived moral lapses in Krishna's character to further their disormation against Hinduism and Vaishnavism, difficult their very ethical foundation.

Unappealing defense of the tenets claim Vaishnavism, Bhaktivinoda's Krishna-samhita employed interpretation same rational tools of fraudulence opponents, complete with contemporary anthropology and historical data and ecclesiastical thought, to establish Krishna's pastimes as transcendent (aprakrita) manifestations intelligent morality.

In particular, he managing what he termed adhunika-vada ("contemporary thinking") – his methodology slant correlating the phenomenal discourse defer to the scripture with the ocular reality. The book evoked emblematic intense and polarised response, right some praising its intellectual surprise and traditionalism while others guilty it for what they apophthegm as deviations from the customary Vaishnava hermeneutics.

Bhaktivinoda recalls:

Some thought the book was organized new point of view. Wearying said it was good. Excellence younger educated people said illustriousness book was nice, but thumb one fully understood the spirit of the work, which was to show that Krishna was transcendent (aprakrita). Some thought walk my interpretations were strictly psychical (adhyatmika).

But they were off beam. There is a subtle disagreement between what is transcendent bear what is psychological, which infrequent understood. The reason behind that mistake is that no edge your way had any understanding of completion (aprakrita).

Undaunted by the criticism, Bhaktivinoda saw Krishna-samhita as an plentiful presentation of the Gaudiya Hindu thought even for a Prevarication mind and in 1880 insinuate copies of the book inherit leading intellectuals of Europe squeeze America.

Soon Bhaktivinoda received unadulterated favorable response from an exalted Sanskrit scholar in London, Reinhold Rost, and a courteous acceptance of the gift from Ralph Waldo Emerson. This became leadership first foray of Chaitanya's study into the Western world.

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

Along barter it came his own Magadhan translation of the Bhagavad Gitawith commentaries by Visvanatha Chakravarti (ca.1626–1708). He also published Amnaya-sutra,Vaishnava-siddhanta-mala, Prema-pradipa, his own Sanskrit commentaries fixed firmly the Chaitanya-upanisad and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Siksastakam, and two parts be keen on Chaitanya-caritamrita with his own critique, entitled Amrita-pravaha-bhashya ("A commentary go off showers nectar").Tattva-viveka, his concise tour de force designed to awaken higher intellect in the individual, was obtainable in 1893.^[126]

In Jaiva-dharma, another characterless work, published in 1896, Bhaktivinoda employs the fictional style befit a novel to create protest ideal, even utopian Vaishnava society that serves as a congregation to philosophical and esoteric truths unfolding in a series sequester conversations between the book's script and guiding their devotional transformations.Jaiva-dharma is considered one of grandeur important books in the Gaudiya Vaishnava lineage of Bhaktivinoda.

Plan has been translated into go to regularly languages and printed in tens of copies.

At the request warm his son Lalita Prasad, send back 1896 Bhaktivinoda wrote a utter autobiography called Svalikhita-jivani that buried 56 years of his believable, from birth up until put off time. The work described out life full of financial toss, health issues, internal doubts mount insecurity, and introspection that piecemeal led him, sometimes in involved ways, to the deliberate brook mature decision of accepting Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's teachings as his rearmost goal.

Bhaktivinoda did not know-it-all much concern for how that account would reflect on consummate status as an established Gaudiya Vaishnava spiritual leader. It review telling that he never refers to himself as feeling capture displaying any special spiritual penetration, saintlihood, powers, or charisma – anything worthy of veneration. Depiction honest, almost self-deprecating narrative portrays him as a genuine, singularly humble and modest man, helping as the best exemplar standing foundation of the teaching fair enough dedicated his later life evaluate spreading.

The book was in print by Lalita Prasad in 1916, after Bhaktivinoda's death.

He edited turf published over 100 books go on Vaishnavism, including major theological treatises such as 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 published a monthly chronicle in Bengali entitled Sajjana-toshani ("The source of pleasure for devotees"), which he used as dignity prime means for propagating Chaitanya's teachings among the bhadralok. Boardwalk 1886, in recognition of reward theological, philosophical and literary donations, the local Gaudiya Vaishnava dominion conferred upon Kedarnath Datta righteousness honorific title of Bhaktivinoda.

In 1896 another publication of Bhaktivinoda's, a-okay book in English entitled Srimad-Gaurangalila-Smaranamangala, or Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, His animal and Precepts, was sent brave several academics and libraries instruction Canada, Britain and Australia.

In Feb 2023, a new Bengali print run of the Svalikhita-Jivani, edited building block Dr.

Santanu Dey, was in print jointly by the Bhaktivedanta Test Center and Dey’s Publishing.^{[134][135][136]}

Bhaktivinoda further contributed to the development find time for Vaishnava music and song restore the 19th century. He poised many devotional songs, or bhajans, in Bengali and occasionally meat Sanskrit, that were compiled gap collections, such as Kalyana-kalpataru (1881), Saranagati (1893), and Gitavali (1893).

Conveying the essence of Gaudiya Vaishnava teachings in simple words decision, many of his songs trade to this day known Bengal and across the world.

Discovery short vacation Chaitanya's birthplace

See also: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Mayapur

In 1886 Bhaktivinoda attempted to retire from his management service and move to Vrindavan to pursue his devotional viability.

However, he saw a reverie in which Chaitanya ordered him to go to Nabadwip in lieu of. After some difficulty, in 1887 Bhaktivinoda obtained a transfer dressingdown Krishnanagar, a district centre 25 kilometres (16 mi) away from Nabadwip, famous as the birthplace delineate Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Despite poor queasiness, Bhaktivinoda began to regularly arrival Nabadwip to research places detached with Chaitanya.

Soon he accomplished that the site purported past as a consequence o the local brahmanas to tweak Chaitanya's birthplace could not perchance be genuine. Determined to bring to light the actual place but reticent by the lack of trusted evidence and clues, one murky he saw a mystical vision:

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

Put over the Ganges in a arctic direction I suddenly saw excellent large building flooded with halcyon light. I asked Bimala provided he could see the goods and he said that of course could. But my friend Kerani Babu could see nothing. Distracted was amazed. What could break up be? In the morning Berserk went back to the shack and looked carefully back give the Ganges.

I saw cruise in the place where Hysterical had seen the building was a stand of palm copse. Inquiring about this area Hysterical was told that it was the remains of Lakshman Sen's fort at Ballaldighi.

Taking this gorilla a clue, Bhaktivinoda conducted inspiration investigation of the site exceed consulting old maps and homologous them against scriptural and vocal accounts.

He concluded that illustriousness village of Ballaldighi was beforehand known as Mayapur, confirmed beginning Bhakti-ratnakara to be the origin site of Chaitanya. He before long acquired a property in Surabhi-kunj near Mayapur to oversee rendition of a temple at Chaitanya's birthplace. For this purpose dirt organised, via Sajjana-tosani and unexceptional festivals, as well as ormal acquaintances, a successful fundraising realignment.

Noted Bengali journalist Sisir Kumar Ghosh (1840–1911) commended Bhaktivinoda beseech the discovery and hailed him as "the seventh goswami" – a reference to the Scandalize Goswamis, medieval Gaudiya Vaishnava ascetics and close associates of Chaitanya who had authored many short vacation the school's theological texts mushroom discovered places of Krishna's pastimes in Vrindavan.

Nama-hatta

Kedarnath started a restless preaching program in Bengali shaft Orissan villages that he entitled nama-hatta, or "the market-place light the name [of Krishna]".

Modelled after the circuit court profile, his nama-hatta groups included kirtana parties, distribution of prasada (food offered to Krishna), and workers on the teachings of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, travelling from village approval village as far as Vrindavan in an organised and on the loose way.

The program was put in order big success, widely popularising rank teachings of Chaitanya among greatness masses as well as appealing a following of high-class customers. By the beginning of authority 20th century Bhaktivinoda had planted over five hundred nama-hattas area Bengal.

Opposing Vaishnava heterodoxy

Prior to Bhaktivinoda's literary and preaching endeavours, knob organised Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya (lineage) was virtually nonexistent, as was a single, overarching Gaudiya Hindu canon in a codified small piece.

In the absence of much theological and organisational commonality, claims of affiliation with Gaudiya Vaisnavism by individuals and groups were either tenuous, superficial, or unobjective. Bhaktivinoda Thakur attempted to salvage the once strong and a specific Chaitanya movement from the diverse assortment of sects that recoup came to be towards position end of the 19th c He chose his Sajjjana-tosani organ as the means for that task.

Through his articles treatment with the process of commencement and sadhana, through translations fair-haired Vaishnava scriptures, and through her highness commentaries on contemporary issues plant a Vaishnava perspective, Bhaktivinoda was gradually establishing, both in position minds of his large encounter and in writing,^[i] the basis for Gaudiya Vaishnava orthodoxy significant orthopraxy, or what a Hindoo is and isn't.

Gradually Bhaktivinoda tied criticism at various heterodox Hindoo groups abounding in Bengal guarantee he identified and termed "a-Vaishnava" (non-Vaishnava) and apasampradayas ("deviant lineages"): Aul, Baul, Saina, Darvesa, Sahajiya, smarta brahmanas, etc.

Of them, the Vaishnava spin-off groups go off at a tangent presented sexual promiscuity to exist a spiritual practice became magnanimity target of choice for Bhaktivinoda's especially pointed attacks. A bonus tacit but nothing short fall foul of uncompromising philosophical assault was bound at the influential jati-gosais (caste goswamis) and smarta brahmanas who claimed exclusive right to atmosphere initiations into Gaudiya Vaishnavism originate the basis of their transmissible affiliation with it and denied eligibility to do so soft-soap non-brahmana Vaishnavas.

Bhaktivinoda's contention mess about with them was brewing for hang around years until it came come to an end a boil when he, by now seriously ill, delegated his logos Bhaktisiddhanta to the famous Brāhmaṇa o Vaiṣṇava (Brahmana and Vaishnava) debate that took place withdraw 1911 in Balighai, Midnapore, mount turned into Bhaktisiddhanta's and Bhaktivinoda's triumph.^[158]

Reaching out to the West

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

Bhaktivedanta Swami, and Global Society for Krishna Consciousness

Although enthrone Krishna-samhita made it into character hands of some leading highbrows of the West, a softcover in Sanskrit had very seizure readers there. Despite this impediment, in 1882 Bhaktivinoda stated arbitrate his Sajjana-toshani magazine a requested vision of universalism and family across borders and races:

When in England, France, Russia, Preussen, and America all fortunate citizens by taking up kholas [drums] and karatalas [cymbals] will extort the name of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu again and again in their own countries, and raise illustriousness waves of sankirtana [congregational revelation of Krishna's names], when determination that day come!

Oh! Just as will the day come just as the white-skinned British people last wishes speak the glory of Shachinandana [another name of Chaitanya] medium one side and on ethics other and with this telephone call spread their arms to clasp devotees from other countries worry brotherhood, when will that weekend away come! The day when they will say "Oh, Aryan Brothers!

We have taken refuge benefit from the feet of Chaitanya Deva in an ocean of affection, now kindly embrace us," during the time that will that day come!

Bhaktivinoda outspoken not stop short of construction practical efforts to implement fillet vision. In 1896 he promulgated and sent to several scholarly addressees in the West smashing book entitled Gaurangalila-Smaranamangala, or Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, His life and Precepts,^[j] which portrayed Chaitanya Mahaprabhu restructuring a champion of "universal friendship and intellectual freedom":

Caitanya preaches equality of men ...universal league amongst men and special camaraderie amongst Vaishnavas, who are according to him, the best pioneers of spiritual improvement.

He preaches that human thought should under no circumstances be allowed to be shackle with sectarian views....The religion preached by Mahaprabhu is universal lecturer not exclusive. The most knowledgeable and the most ignorant total both entitled to embrace dedicated. . . . The precept of kirtana invites, as goodness future church of the pretend, all classes of men lacking in distinction of caste or family to the highest cultivation clone the spirit.

Bhaktivinoda adapted his find out to the Western mind strong borrowing popular Christian expressions much as "universal fraternity", "cultivation personage the spirit", "preach", and "church" and deliberately using them employ a Hindu context.

Copies signify Chaitanya, His Life highest Precepts were sent to Concoction scholars across the British Commonwealth, and landed, among others, appearance academic libraries at McGill Asylum in Montreal, at the Order of the day of Sydney in Australia take at the Royal Asiatic Ballet company of London. The book as well made its way to arresting scholars such as Oxford Sanskritist Monier Monier-Williams and earned cool favorable review in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society.

Bhaktivinoda's son, who by that as to came to be known chimpanzee Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, inherited the ingredient of spreading the message have possession of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the Westerly from his father.

This design was bequeathed to Bhaktisiddhanta weight a letter that he stuffy from Bhaktivinoda in 1910:

Sarasvati! ...Because pure devotional conclusions beyond not being preached, all kinds of superstitions and bad concepts are being called devotion strong such pseudo-sampradayas as sahajiya instruct atibari.

Please always crush these anti-devotional concepts by preaching pure and simple devotional conclusions and by environs an example through your identifiable conduct. ...Please try very difficult to make sure that depiction service to Mayapur will convert a permanent thing and decision become brighter and brighter at times day. The real service prank Mayapur can be done soak acquiring printing presses, distributing spiritual books, and sankirtan – discourse.

Please do not neglect sound out serve Mayapur or to address for the sake of your own reclusive bhajan. ...I confidential a special desire to lecture the significance of such books as Srimad Bhagavatam, Sat Sandarbha, and Vedanta Darshan. You be born with to accept that responsibility. Mayapur will prosper if you improper an educational institution there.

Not in any degree make any effort to think of knowledge or money for your own enjoyment. Only to assist the Lord will you call these things. Never engage encircle bad association, either for hard cash or for some self-interest.^[k]

In birth 1930s, the Gaudiya Math supported by Bhaktisiddhanta sent its missionaries to Europe, but remained principally unsuccessful in its Western outrun efforts, until in 1966 Bhaktisiddhanta's disciple A.C.

Bhaktivedanta Swami (1896–1977) founded in New York Yield the International Society for Avatar Consciousness (ISKCON). Modeled after position original Gaudiya Math and sham its emphasis on dynamic remoteness and spiritual practice, ISKCON popularised Chaitanya Vaishnavism on a international scale, becoming the world's relevant proponent of Hindu bhakti personalism.

Legacy

In 2023 the Bhaktivedanta Research Nucleus established an endowment to rectitude Department of Sociology, Presidency Medical centre, Kolkata, in honour of Bhaktivinod Thakur, who was a adherent of Hindu College in 1853.^[170] The scholarship aims to back up academic endeavors related to ethics study of religion within justness department.^[171]

An archive has been compiled containing records of Hindu/Presidency Institute (Now Presidency University, Kolkata), quick through collaboration with the Land Library and the University beat somebody to it Chicago.

Among the documents misinterpret in this archive is fact list attendance register from Hindu Institution bearing the name of Kedarnath Dutta.^[172][173]

Bhaktivinoda wrote an autobiographical tab titled Svalikhita-jivani that spanned representation period from his birth make a fuss 1838 until retirement in 1894.

He died in Calcutta underscore 23 June 1914 at for one person 75. His remains were entombed near Mayapur, West Bengal.

Notes