Introduction

'Shree Shree Sadguru Sanga', a diary maintained by Shree Kuladananda Brahmachari, one of the most intimate disciples and companion/attendant of Goswami Prabhu is an invaluable collection of priceless gems containing the discourses by Goswamiji and the activities of his and his satisfying answers to the questions of a serious, gritty spiritual aspirant. We are grateful to Shree Kuladanandaji for this outstanding contribution to humanity.

The diary was originally written in Bengali. The Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati and English translation of the diary are available and work on Kannada translation is going on.

Prologue

TRANSLATED FROM THE FIRST HINDI EDITION PUBLISHED IN 1937 A.D.

Writer: Mahamahopadhyay Shree Pandit Gopinathji Kaviraj, M.A.,
Former Principal, Government Sanskrit College, Banaras

The Hindi speaking religious people are immensely fortunate, that the Hindi translation of the priceless book named Shree Shree sadguru Sanga is being published today.

Having spent a long time in the company and shelter of the venerable Mahatma Shree Shreemat Bijoykrishna Goswamiji, the writer of this book Sreemat Kuladananda Brahmachariji received his instructions and followed the path shown by him, thus qualifying to earn the good fortune of spiritual practice.

During this period, he had obtained the grace of this mahatma in various ways for all round development on the path of his spiritual practice. The ordinary lives of the common people have phases like - childhood, youth and old age, which appear one after another as a natural phenomenon; in the same manner, the life of dharma too has phases of various manifestations. The internal power (of the sadhak) slowly flourishes to fullness with the gradual appearance and disappearance of these and the sadhaks become compeletely free from all bindings and achieve the supreme wealth and are blessed with the taste of Absolute bliss - each according one’s respective state of nature. Brahmachariji has frankly presented the details of his spiritual life with an open heart in this book. From his writings, as on hand, we get a thorough reflection of his simple mindedness, reliance and hard struggle for self-improvement, on the other hand, we get the evidence of his most revered Gurudev's limitless grace and play of his unending power at every step.

The power of Sadguru is the direct power of God whose grace encompasses the world. The depictions contain an exact account, serially, as to how God who is the ocean of love, the ocean of forgiveness, is engaged in deliverance while being present in the life of the spiritual aspirant, who is weak, dominated by desire, cowed down with fear, but who ceaselessly and sincerely remains engaged in spiritual practice. That is why, this is a much sought after book by all the sadhaks who want spiritual progress.

In fact, the life of a sadhak starts only after he gets his guru. Though the time for walking the path of dispassion already starts when the intensity of detachment and keenness of desire for the supernatural truth appear in the heart- because detachment towards the world and extreme desire for spiritualism is in itself a call from God - yet, movement does not start as long as the knowledge of the path remains unknown.

Knowledge of the real path depends only on the teachings of one's guru. As a consequence of eternal outward orientations, influence of vanity, and a variety of good and bad karmas, beings keep moving from the highest zone to the lowest zone of the mighty universe, dressing up as various characters in a drama, while enjoying or suffering the consequences of their earlier deeds.

Due to the enchanting maya-shakti (illusion) of Mahamaya, beings have forgotten their own supreme form and also God's real form and their eternal relation with Him. That is why, being proud of material objects they consider the worldly things more pleasant and make fruitless attempts of possessing them - similar to getting water from mirages - and thus become exhausted.

As long as the complete vision of the supreme soul is not attained, supreme bliss in the form of total devotion is not tasted, till then the limitless thirst and tremendous dissatisfaction is not satiated. Without the manifestation of pure knowledge, the external shell of illusion cannot be broken.

That is why Sadguru, the one who enlightens-is needed. Though God himself is Sad guru and is present equally in every heart, yet such entity cannot deliver any result, because, just as fire existing in wood does not erupt into flames without friction with another piece of wood or without being lighted by an external fire, in the same manner, without being enkindled by the living contact of a mahatma, or intense craving for God, the spiritual feelings ill one's heart cannot qualify to accomplish any task.

Intense urge for God is very rare in samsar. External help is usually needed to awaken internal emotions of purity. Sadguru is the one who can awaken the dormant power in another, by his awakened power.

Brahmachariji was fortunate to have got such a Sadguru who could place his disciple on the path of salvation, by infusing power into his disciple by just his wish.

On getting deeksha, with the transfusion of power, the kulakundalini shakti (power) gets stirred up, awakened to a lesser or greater degree depending on the capacity of the disciple. At this, leaving this dreamlike life, which spans over many births, man by the touch of truth, runs forward on the path of Brahman, looking upward in search of the Absolute Truth - he proceeds towards the great awakening. Many divine visions are seen on this journey, many distinct revelations are experienced and the enhanced power of the senses, power of the mind and many other powers gradually increase and then attain the pure state.

During this period, on one hand as the sadhak gets enchanted by the bliss of the supernatural experiences, on the other hand the impressions of the cumulative earlier tarnished karma wakes up with the touch of 'Brahmatej' (power of Brahman) and agitates the sadhak's mind. This is the stage of terrible test for the sadhak. At this time Sadguru alone gives assurance and makes the disciple strong and protects him all the time while remaining unseen. By the grace of Guru's power all the problems and obstacles go away in no time. From the very beginning of his life, Goswamiji was thirsty for dharma and was simple in nature, that is why God had established him in the Absolute Truth miraculously, through His presence within various conditions. It is very much necessary to follow Goswamiji's life in today's world.

Beings inflicted with sufferings will be infused with new energy from the great ideal of Goswamiji's life and will learn to fix their aim on seeing the shining example of God's unlimited grace. This book has five volumes, now only the first volume is being published. Hopefully the remaining four volumes will soon be translated. It is true that the commands and teachings contained in this book are meant for a particular person - these were not meant for people in general, yet this is everyone's property. Because the commands and sermons do not belong to any particular sect, these are applicable for the entire humanity.

The person receiving these sermons was just an agent. Those treading the path of sadhan will certainly receive peace, knowledge and joy from this. Actually such a book in any other literature is rare.

Life becomes extremely invigorating by repeated discussion of these sermons and by giving them practical shape. It will not be irrelevant to mention one thing in this context. The person who has translated this book has profound knowledge of Bengali and is a famous writer in Hindi. Therefore it is needless to talk about the excellence of the translation. I hope this excellent book will be received cordially wherever Hindi language is widely in vogue.

"What Bhramachari is writing will become the scripture of the country after a hundred years."

- Sadguru Shree Shree Bijoykrishna Goswami

"The truth of the future that Bijoy Goswami hid within himself, has not been revealed utterly to his disciples. A less discrete revelation prepares, a more concrete force manifests, but where it comes, when it comes, none knoweth."

- Sri Aurobindo

"The spiritual life of Bijoykrishna Goswamiji is a subject for study throughout India. Gradually, a discussion about it would be held everywhere. Gosaiji's own life is an enlightening example of how a human life achieves absolute accomplishment in divine knowledge, yogic path of spiritual knowledge and devotion to God."

- Dr. Gopinath Kabiraj

A brief life Sketch of SHREE SHREE KULADANANDA BRAHMACHARI

From age to age God incarnates himself in the human form to accomplish His mission in a particular period of time. As assured by Lord Krishna in the Gita-

"Whenever, 0 descendant of Bharata, righteousness declines and unrighteousness prevails, I manifest Myself"

[Gita IV/7]

Looking back through history, we shall find, Guru Nanak, Shree Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Shree Ramakrishna Paramhamsadev, Sadguru Shree Bijoykrishna Goswamiji, being examples of such gracious advent and presence of God in human form to alleviate the sufferings of humanity and to show the path for salvation. People suffering from the three types of afflictions, mental, physical and spiritual, got a light, a hope, a distinct route to get rid of such afflictions and to attain absolute peace under their guidance.

God in human form also needs human vehicles to convey His message far and wide, to record His messages to preserve and propagate them for posterity. These vehicles are His disciples,bhaktas and intimate companions endowed with such capabilities of recording day to day happenings. Guru Nanak had Bhai Mardana, Shree Chaitanya had Murari Gupta and others, Shree Ramakrishna had Mahendra Gupta, and Sadguru Shree Bijoykrishna had Shree Kuladananda Brahmachari. But for the diaries written by these great followers and disciples of the mahatmas, most of the treasure of their lives would have remained unaccessed by posterity.

'Shree Shree Sadguru Sanga', a diary maintained by Shree Kuladananda Brahmachari, one of the most intimate disciples of Goswami Prabhu is an invaluable collection of priceless gems containing the discourses by Goswamiji and the activities of his and his satisfying answers to the questions of a serious, gritty spiritual aspirant. We are grateful to Shree Kuladanandaji for this outstanding contribution to humanity. Shree Kuladananda Brahmachariji was born on the 14th of Kartik, 1274 (Bengali calendar), 1867 A.D on the fourteenth day of lunar fortnight ('Vaikuntha Chaturdashi'). His father was Kamalakanta Bandopadhyaya and mother, Harasundari Devi. They used to live in the village Pashchimpara of the Munsiganj sub-division of Dhaka district (now in Bangladesh). Both Kamalakanta and his wife were highly religious and spent a substantial part of the day in spiritual practice, worship etc. Inspite of being well off materially, Kamalakanta was indifferent to wordly possessions.

Kuladananda had four brothers and three sisters. He lost his father when he was five years old. But he could not feel the pain of this loss as he was well looked after by his mother and eldest brother Harakanta Bandopadhyay, who was a civil surgeon. As Harakanta stayed far away, Kuladakanta (earlier name of Kuladananda) studied under the guidance of his second eldest brother Barodakanta and his immediate elder brother Saradakanta. He used to study in a middle English school at Jainsar located at a distance of a mile from his house. Fortunately he came in contact with a teacher of polished and patriotic nature. Thus the foundation of building an ideal life was laid during his childhood itself.

All the sons of Harasundari had divine power within themselves and were blessed by Goswami Prabhu with deeksha. Goswami Prabhu had told Kuladananda once - "All of your brothers seem to have come to the earth after consultation. Though you seem to differ in nature externally, yet you are made of the same material." This saying of Goswami Prabhu is true to the letters, that is why unique manifestation of renunciation and dispassion is seen in each one of them.

His first meeting with Goswami Prabhu is very interesting.

During his childhood as he was playing one day, someone came and informed him that Gosain had come to their house. He came running just on hearing this and saw a huge well built handsome man wearing a robe and shoes and holding a staff in hand standing under the shefali tree. Coming to him in a nude state as he halted abruptly, Goswami Prabhu said to him smilingly like a very familiar person - "What, you were playing, good! good!! Go and play a lot. " Kuladakanta had his primary education at the age of nine in Jainsar school. Thereafter he was admitted to the High English School at Dhaka. Elder brother Saradakanta was a student of a higher class in Dhaka collegiate school. Both of them lived in a hostel and pursued their studies. The second eldest brother Barodakanta taught Kuladakanta to write diary at the age of ten itself. Kuladakanta used to record the day to day incidents since then. Kuladakanta's greatest contribution as a result of this practice is Shree Shree Sadguru Sanga. Gosainji had said once about Kuladananda's diary, "What Brahmachari is writing will become the scripture of the country after a hundred years." That is the reason why innumerable spiritual aspirants and devotees are specially indebted to Barodakanta who had inculcated the habit of writing a diary in his brother.

During his student life he was greatly influenced by Brahmodharma. Shree Shree Bijoykrishna Goswami was then the Acharya (preceptor) of Brahmosamaj, Dhaka. He had experienced a new light on being initiated by Brahmananda Paramhamsaji. Consequently his lectures and sermons containing the essence of bhakti tremendously influenced the charmed masses and made them religiously oriented. Kuladakanta also floated in that current of bhakti. Kuladakanta was given deeksha by Goswami Prabhu on the 2nd of Pous 1293, (1886 A.D) in the Brahmosamaj mission house at Dhaka. He was only twenty years old that time. Having been influenced earlier by the culture of the Brahmosamaj - worshipping attributeless Brahman - Kuladakanta had some reservations about goswami Prabhu's sadhan which was based on the Hindu dharma. But after alterations of his mental and physical tendencies with Goswami Prabhu's guidance and on seeing the excellent sweetness, spiritual wealth and bhakti in Goswami Prabhu, he realised that, Goswami Prabhu's path was flawless.

His disinclination towards pursuing academic studies fearing that this would divert him from following the spiritual path and his intermittent serious health breakdowns prevented him from continuing higher studies. Goswami Prabhu too approved of it.

He was given the rare brahmacharya vrata by Goswami prabhu on the 12th of Shravan 1297 (1890 A.D) at Vrindavan. Under his Gurudev's instruction he went through intense austere spiritual practice, curtailing his food, sleep and all other comforts for a number of years. He completed six years of brahmacharya in 1303 (1896 AD). He was decorated with the name Kuladananda at Kumbhamela.

Accompanying his Gurudev he came to Puri Dham in 1304 (1897 AD) along with a team of co-disciples. Goswami Prabhu left his mortal frame at Puri on 22nd Jaishtha 1306, (May-June, 1899 AD) on being poisoned by a panda. Kuladananda had the rare opportunity of staying in Goswami Prabhu's company for fourteen years from 1293 to 1307, (1886 to 1899 AD) and serving him.

Being highly satisfied by Kuladananda's service and nursing at his death bed, Goswami Prabhu said - "Forgetting yourself, you are thus serving me - know that this will not go in vain, you will be successful. Thousands of men and women will be eager to serve you."

In his later years this came to be true to the letters when he became Sadguru and initiated many people. As Sadguru, he initiated Jitendranath Modak, the first candidate on the 29th Pous, 1309 (1902 AD). He left his mortal frame at Kolkata in 1337 (1930 AD) at the age of 63. His holy body was brought to Puri and laid to rest at his samadhi at Puri Thakur Bari.

To know more about him, read "A brief introduction of Shree Shree Kuladananda Brahmachari ji"