By studying the instructions of Srila Gaurakishora one can learn how to escape the jaws of false renunciation and offensive mockery.

Srila Gaurakishora Still Lives in Our Hearts

DEDICATED TO MY SPIRITUAL MASTER AND ETERNAL GUIDE
HIS DIVINE GRACE A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA

namo gaura-kishoraya
sakshad-vairagya-murtaye
vipralamba-rasambudhe
padambujaya te namah

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja (the spiritual master of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati), who is renunciation personified. He is always merged in a feeling of separation and intense love of Krsna.

"ALL GLORIES TO GURU AND GOURANGA"

"SRI SRI GURU GOURANGA JAYATAH"

Preface

The following descriptions of the most highly renounced acharya (spiritual teacher), Om Visnupada Srila Gaurakishora dasa Babaji documents a significant part of the history of our Gaudiya Vaishnava disciplic succession. These wonderful, mind-attracting stories and instructions vividly illustrate that the problems we face in our march against maya (illusion) are not new manifestations of her manifold trickery, but are eternal displays. Moreover, a deeper insight into the relationships among our previous acharyas strengthens the faith of the inquisitive and intelligent disciple. And to those narrow-minded persons who entertain doubts about the teachings of the acharyas in the last century, this work will present a challenge based on actual facts, quotes and historical records now at our disposal.

The following articles appeared in the Sajjana Tosani [The Harmonist] monthly magazine in the year 1917. The articles, entitled "Anaran Prabhura Katha" or "The Instructions of My Spiritual Master" appeared in the nineteenth volume, numbers five and six. The editors of the Chaitanya Matha corrected these magazine articles by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and compiled them into a small book. The headings of the stories were given by the editorial staff to depict their specific instructions. The original articles can be found in the Devananda Gaudiya Matha in Navadwip, West Bengal as well as in their branch in Mathura, Utar Pradesh.

The Real Spiritual Master and Disciple

The articles by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura describe the unearthly character of Srila Gaurakisora das Babaji Maharaja. The descriptions of spiritual leaders by historians and ordinary authors cannot compare to these unique presentations, which preserve the transcendental qualities of Srila Gaurakishora and simultaneously reveal the path by which the rare character of such an immortal personality can be followed.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura brings to light how we pretentiously approach the spiritual master, feigning advancement, pregnant with arrogance, and intoxicated by desires for sense gratification. The neophyte devotee is always in a precarious situation. Due to a poor fund of knowledge and lack of faith, he has the tendency to imitate. By studying the instructions of Srila Gaurakishora one can learn how to escape the jaws of false renunciation and offensive mockery. In other words, the present level of our spiritual advancement is made obvious upon hearing the highly renounced example of Srila Gaurakishora dasa Babaji.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur describes himself before his meeting Srila Gaurakishora dasa Babaji:

"I have been busy within this material world trying to bring sense gratification within the grasp of my hand. I have often thought that by obtaining the object of sense gratification, all my shortcomings will be fulfilled. I often attained different assets that were indeed very rare, but my own personal shortcomings were never mitigated. In this material world I have had the association of very high-class, aristocratic persons. However, seeing their various deficiencies, I could not offer them praise. The most merciful Supreme Lord, Sri Gourasundara, seeing me in such a lamentable condition at such a time of diversity, gave permission to His two dearmost devotees to grant their blessings to me. Because I was always intoxicated with a worldly false ego, wanting again and again self-aggrandizement, I deprived myself of my own real benefit. But because of the influence of my previous births' activities in devotional service, I came into the association of Srila Bhativinode Thakura, who was the form of my spiritual well wisher.

"My spiritual master would go and visit Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura and many times would reside with him. Srila Bhaktivinode, out of his compassion for other living entities, pointed out my spiritual master, Srila Gaurakishora dasa Babaji. Upon seeing my spiritual master, the extent of my worldly false ego diminished. I know that all the other living entities who have taken the human form of life were also fallen and low like myself. But by gradually observing the spiritual character of my master, I realized that only a Vaishnava could reside in this material world and be of exemplary character."