Srimad Bhakti Gaurava Vaikhanas Maharaj was one of the dear most disciple of the founder of worldwide association of Sree Chaitanya Math and Sree Gaudiya Math, Nityalila Pravisht Om Visnupada 108 Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupada. He performed his Nityalila pastime on 8th Magha, 22nd January 1966, Saturday afternoon, at Orissa in the Saraswat Ashram located at Gonju in Ganjam district, by submerging the Gaudiya Vaishnavas in the ocean of separation at the age of 95. The founder of Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math Om Shri Srimad Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Vishnupada took the Tridand sannyas from him in Sri Purushottama Dham. His Virahotsava will be held on the first day of Sri Navdweep Dham Parikrama on 17th Phalgun, Tuesday, 1st March, at Shri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Sri Dham Mayapur, Ishodyan.

Virah-mahotsava at Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Sri Dham Mayapur

On 17th Phalgun (1372), 1st March (1966) at midday on the first day of Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama, at Sridham Mayapur Ishodayan Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, the Virah-mahotsava of Srimad Bhakti Gaurava Vaikhanas Maharaj, one amongst the senior sannyāsa disciples of Paramaradhya Srila Prabhupad was culminated in a great ceremony under the guidance of Parampujyapad Tridandi Goswami Srimad Bhakti Dayita Madhava Maharaj. Srila Maharaj’s glories, the most purifying, were sung.

[Virah-mahotsava was announced in the 12th issue of the fifth year of Sri Chaitanya Vani]

We have heard that Pujyapad Maharaj, while living in the household life, became disenchanted with the worldly matters and started searching for a sadguru. At that time, one day, by divine grace, he had a glimpse of Paramardhya Prabhupad's picture. By just having the sight of that picture, Srila Maharaj got strongly attracted to Srila Prabhupad, the redeemer of the whole world, and accepted him as his Guru, the sole controller of his spiritual life and the closest friend. He became extremely eager to have darshan of Srila Prabhupad. By causeless mercy of Srila Prabhupad, very soon, showing the ideal of cutting the knots of the worldly attachments, in the year 1933, he came to Sridham Mayapur and took absolute shelter at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupad. Witnessing his strong inner attachment for following the path of pure devotion, Srila Prabhupad gave him Krishna-nāma-mahāmantra and dīkṣā-mantra after only a short while.

The former name of Pujyapad Maharaj was Sri Ujjvaleshwar Pattajoshi. He was the priest of the king of Bargarh, state of Odisha and the scholar in his assembly. Witnessing his strong attachment and profound erudition in Sanskrit language, the king honored him with the title of 'Pattajoshi'. After receiving initiation from Srila Prabhupada, he came to be known as Sri Ujjvala-rasananda Das. Noting his disciple’s ever increasing intense inclination for performing bhajan-sādhan, Srila Prabhupada gave him tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa on the auspicious full moon day, Gaura-āvirbhāva-pūrṇimā, Friday, 1 March 1934, at Yogapith, Sridham Mayapur, the appearance place of Sriman Mahaprabhu. His sannyāsa name became Tridandi Swami Srimad Bhakti Gaurava Vaikhanas Maharaj.

From then on, taking absolute shelter at the lotus-feet of his Gurudev, he dedicated his life in spreading the message of Sri Guru and Gauranga all over India. After Srila Prabhupada's entering into his eternal pastime, Srimad Bhakti Gaurava Vaikhanas Maharaj, in his advance age, at the special request of his disciples from Orissa, established Sri Saraswat Ashram in the village of Gonju Gram near Behrampur. After establishing the service of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Govinda Jiu there, he remained at that place and showed the ideal of performing bhajan-sādhan until he completed his manifest pastimes.

In his Virah-mahotsava at Sri Dham Mayapur, many Gaudiya Vaishnavas were invited, headed by his beloved Pujyapad, Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math’s President.

While Pujyapad Maharaj's qualities are naturally resplendent, in recalling his simple and innocent behavior—remembering his calm, gentle, sweet personality, the heart becomes extremely agitated. After the disappearance of our most worshipful Prabhupada, he bestowed sannyāsa to many of his prominent god-brothers—Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Maharaj (the founder of Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Sri Bhakti Pramoda Puri Maharaj, Sri Bhakti Saudha Ashrama Maharaj, Sri Bhakti Saran Santa Maharaj, but he respected all of them as his god-brothers and thereby demonstrated the ideal nature of a Vaisnava.

During the manifestation of Srila Prabhupada and even after that, he awarded increasing bliss to Sri Guru and Vaishnavas by delivering discourses on pure devotional doctrines in Sanskrit language at many large assemblies. He also helped to a great extent in propagating the Sanskrit publications of Sri Gaudiya Math. We were amazed to see his strong and sharp memory power even in his advance age. We heard him recite Kirtans and prayers from Garbha-stuti, Brahma-stuti, Rasa-panchodhyaya, Bhramara Gita, Sri Prahlad-charita, Nrisimha-stava, Gajendra-stava, Govinda-stava from Brahma-samhita, many hymns of Sri Rupa Raghunath, the full Bhagavad Gita etc. and reciting many Veda-mantras regularly.

Though, Srila Maharaj entered in his eternal pastime at a very advance age, today we feel extreme separation pangs on losing a highly learned and senior Vaishnava like him. May he be pleased and shower his affection and mercy upon us.