Nityalila Pravistha Parama-pujyapada Srila Bhakti Srirupa Siddhanti Goswami Maharaj (disciple of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur) mercifully gave the opportunity to have his darshan. Param-pujyapad Srila Sant Goswami Maharaj used to go to his Math to listen to his Harikatha. Once Srila Siddhanti Maharaj spoke one sentence in his Harikatha, which, after hearing, the general audience became angry and other devotees who were there along with Srila Maharaj were afraid. But Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur joyfully said that he has done the work worth one lakh rupees!

He came to our Kolkata Math many times. He maintained such discipline in his Math which I have not seen in any other Math. In other Maths, I have seen when someone is giving ‘Jai’, either during Aarti or Path, other devotees do not pay sincere attention and do not utter ‘Jai’ following the person who is giving ‘Jai’. Jai-dhvani is for praying for the grace of Guru Vaishnava and Bhagavan. Jai-dhvani is not unnecessary. Without the grace of Guru, Vaishnava and Bhagavan we cannot get their service. Many of the devotees utter ‘Jai’ without giving sincere attention.

In Srila Siddhanti Maharaj’s Math, I have seen everybody uttering ‘Jai’. The person who is giving ‘Jai’, he is also loudly uttering the names, praying for the grace and all others are giving their approval by saying ‘Jai.. Jai..’ When I saw, I asked, “What is this?”

The devotees there said, “This is the rule in our Math.”

“I have not seen this before in any other Math.”

“Our Gurumaharaj has said “Whoever will not utter ‘Jai’, he will not be given Prasadam for that day.”

So out of fear everyone utters, ‘Jai.. Jai..’

Srila Siddhanti Maharaj has affection for them so he had made such a rule.

Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushan Prabhu wrote Govinda-bhashya. Srila Siddhanti Maharaj has translated and explained it in the Bangla language in detail. It is a great contribution to the Gaudiya society. It is in four volumes. He made a great effort for this service.

Once, persons from a different Sampradaya called the king of Jaipur at a place named ‘Galata-gaddi’ in Jaipur, and told him, “The Mantra you have taken will not be fruitful as it is not been taken from the Sampradayas who have their individual commentary on the Vedanta.” Listening to this, the king sent an invitation to Srila Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur, who was in his advance age at that time, to comment on this. The king sent a message, “The assembled people here do not consider the Mantra being given to me as authentic based on the argument that there is no separate commentary of Vedanta for the Sampradaya (Gaudiya Sampradaya) from which I have taken the Mantra.” Srila Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur sent his disciple Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushan Prabhu to answer their questions. Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushan Prabhu went there and explained to them, “Vedavyas Muni himself has written the commentary of Vedanta as Srimad Bhagavatam. What is the need to write any other commentary? The author himself has given Srimad Bhagavatam which is the detailed explanation of Vedanta.”

But the people there were not ready to accept the Gaudiya Sampradaya as an authentic Sampradaya without its commentary on Vedanta. Baladeva Vidyabhushan Prabhu was given seven days to write the commentary on Vedanta. It is almost impossible to write the commentary on Vedanta in just seven days. Baladeva Vidyabhushan Prabhu went to the Govinda Deva temple and offered his obeisance to Govinda Deva. He was given the garland of Govinda Deva as His blessings. Being there in the temple, he completed writing the commentary in seven days. And then there was a meeting held at Galata-gaddi in which people from other Sampradaya presented their commentary on Vedanta. At the end Baladeva Vidyabhushan Prabhu presented his commentary which he wrote making the Divine Love as the foundation. Everyone was astonished to listen to his commentary. Thus, Baladeva Vidyabhushan Prabhu has protected the dignity of Gaudiya Sampradaya. He wrote the commentary in the Sanskrit language. Srila Siddhanti Maharaj has explained that in the Bangla language. And therefore, we all are indebted to him.

I pray forgiveness for all the offences I have done knowingly or unknowingly. Why should we leave such an opportunity of praying for his grace and asking for his forgiveness? But the prayers should be from within. He is the personal associate of Srila Prabhupad. I pay my innumerable prostrated obeisances unto his lotus feet. May he bestow the service of his lotus feet and causeless devotion to his worshipable objects Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Sri Radha-Krishna.