Today (22/02) is the appearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura,
Srila Prabhupada’s spiritual master. And we read Srila Prabhupada’s essay
about him, “The Universal Teacher,” which Prabhupada presented on this
occasion seventy-five years ago. The truth of Srila Prabhupada’s words
penetrate the heart as much now as they must have then. He said: “Although
it is imperfectly that we have been enabled, by his grace, to understand the
sublime messages of our Acaryadeva, Om Visnupada Paramahamsa
Parivrajakacarya Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, we
must admit that we have realized definitely that the divine message from his
holy lips is the congenial thing for suffering humanity.
All of us should hear him patiently. If we listen to the transcendental sound without
unnecessary opposition, he will surely have mercy upon us. The acarya’s
message is to take us back to our original home, back to God. Let me repeat,
therefore, that we should hear him patiently, follow him in the measure of
our conviction, and bow down at his lotus feet for releasing us from our
present causeless unwillingness for serving the Absolute and all souls.”
Forty years later, addressing his own disciples, Srila Prabhupada said that
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura appeared as the son of Bhaktivinoda
Thakura in Jagannatha Puri and that when the little baby was brought before
the Ratha-yatra cart and placed before the Deity, Lord Jagannatha offered
the child a garland. “That was the first sign of his becoming the acarya. In
this way there were many incidents. . . . So keep this parampara system.
Then our life will be successful.”
Hare Krsna.
Giriraj Swami