‘Gaudiya Mission’ is a missionary organization for preaching the process of pure devotion through practice as taught by Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This was actually started by Srila Jiva Goswamipad in the name of “Visva Vaisnav Rajsabha” in 16th century, and Srila Rupa Goswamipad was its first president. With the passage of time, its influence slowly lost. About 200 years later, Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur, the own person of Sri Gaur Sundar, revived the Vaisnava religion and re-established the ‘Rajshabha’ (congregation) in 1886. Not only this, with the inspiration and help of some self-realized souls like Srila Jagannatha Das Babaji and Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji, he discovered and protected the actual birth site of Sriman Mahaprabhu, preserved various ancient literature on Suddha Bhakti(pure devotion) and composed songs of unalloyed devotion, and thus he brought about a renaissance in the cult of Bhakti. The greatest contribution of Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur is Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada. He appeared as the most worthy successor and son of Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur to make his dreams a reality by preaching and spreading the message of pure devotion in the entire world as taught by Mahaprabhu.
With the efforts of Srila Prabhupada, ‘Visva Vaisnava Rajsabha’ took the form of Sri Gaudiya Math and gradually to Gaudiya Mission at the time of Srila Bhakti Prasad Puri Goswami Thakur (Sri Ananta Vasudev Prabhu). Within a short span of time Prabhupada established about 64 Maths in India and abroad by his vigorous preaching of the process of unalloyed devotion. After His disappearance, and with His will, Srila Bhakti Prasad Puri Goswami Thakur (Srila Acharyadev) became the next Acharya of Gaudiya Mission. Srila Acharyadev inspired everyone by his unmatched practice of pure devotion. With his directives, Srila Bhakti Keval Audulomi Maharaj became the next Acharya. He remained as the Acharya for a long period and kept the flow of Pure devotion uninterruptedly. After Acharyadev, the Acharya lila was enacted for the interim period by Srila Bhakti Pradeep Tirtha Maharaj. After Audulomi Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Srirup Bhagvat Maharaj (Acharyapad) became the Acharya. After his Acharya lila, Srila Bhakti Suhrid Paribrajak Maharaj is carrying the divine preceptorial line and preserving the flow of pure devotion till date.
Gaudiya Mission essentially practises and preaches the universal religion of the soul as taught in Srimad Bhagvatam, the ripened fruit of the Vedic literature. This religion is based on the loving service to Sri Kriahna. The eternal truths of Srimad Bhagvatam belong to the transcendental realm (Adokshaja) beyond the understanding of the senses, intellect and mind. It is only through the enlightenment from a spiritual master (Guru) in the disciplic succession starting from Lord Krishna himself, one can understand and realize the truth. Only the Acharyas coming in ‘Amnaya Dhara’ (disciplic succession) can deliver the truth and enlighten others. Lord Bramha, as he learnt the truth from Supreme Lord Krishna, gave it to Narada, Sri Vyasadev, as he leant it from Narada, taught Srimad Bhagvatam to Sukdeva, and Sukdeva to Parikshit Maharaj along with Suta Goswami and others. With the passage of time when the true message is lost, the Supreme Lord manifests Himself in different forms to re-establish the true religion as promised in Srimad Bhagavat Gita. True to His promise, He appeared in Nadia (West Bengal) in the 15th Century as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabu , in the disguise of a Devotee. Thus the universal ‘Bhagvat Dharma’ based on Srimad Bhagvatam was adopted with zeal and vigour by the scholars, devotees and the general masses alike. Gaudiya Acharyas are carrying this religion till date by their preaching and practice, and enlightening us with the timeless knowedge of Srimad Bhagavtam, the spotless, pure & unalloyed Puran.
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The Gaudiya mission has been registered since March 1940 as a society under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860.
Aims and Objects
The Mission represents the genuine teachings of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and intends to promote the spiritual welfare of all souls irrespective of their caste and assist them in the study of the philosophy as propounded by Him. The fundamental objective of the Members of the Mission is to learn, assimilate, practise and propagate the spirit and teachings of the pure Vaishnava faith as described in the Srimad Bhagvatam, which was also preached and propounded by Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and practised and taught by the Gaudiya Vaishnava Acharyas through their acts and spiritual pursuits for the moral and spiritual upliftment of the humanity at large.
Srila Thakur Bhakti Vinode entrusted his life’s mission to his successor Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa 108 Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad who appeared in 1874 A.D. at Sri Purushottam Kshetra, Puri. The line of work begun by Srila Bhaktivinode received great impetus and was successfully pushed on all quarters by Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad, a true saint of the 20th century. For the world-wide propagation of the teachings of Srila Thakur Bhakti Vinode in its pure and un-alloyed form, Srila Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad established numerous preaching centres in India and abroad and published numerous books and periodicals in different languages.
The fundamental object of the Mission is to practise and propagate the spirit and teachings of pure Vaishnav faith as described in the Srimad Bhagavatam, propounded and propagated by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and taught by Gaudiya Vaishnav Acharyas.
Principles Of The Mission
Soul
The principles of the Mission are purely based on the Divine Love which is attainable only by cultivating the function of the soul as distinct from those of the physical body and the material mind. The limitations that hamper the activities of the physical body and the material mind are not found in their unwholesome forms on the plane of the soul. These limitations can neither be suppressed nor eliminated, but they can be transcended by realization of the fact that the soul itself is distinct from the physical body and the material mind with which the fallen souls so inevitably tend to identify themselves in their conditioned state. Hence, the professed purpose of this religion is to reinstate the soul in the state of its natural activity by means of loving service to Supreme Lord.
Service To The Lord
Mahaprabhu, Sri Krishna Chaitanya, taught the fallen souls that true conduct of life consists in the proper and Godly use of every object of the world in the service of Godhead without any personal attachment for them. A true devotee of the Divine personality of God is neither an enjoyer nor a renouncer. He is purely a servitor of the Omnipotent Lord, the most beloved Lord; in Whose service he utilizes all the materials of the world and of Whom he is but an infinitesimal part inseparably attached to Him by the tie of Love. In rendering loving service to the Lord he requires the benign guidance of a genuine Spiritual Master, who is inseparably attached to the Supreme Lord.
The Name-Distinct From Words
The Name ‘Krishna’ is transcendental (Vaikuntha). Unlike a material word or proper name which is only a symbol for the object and not the object itself, such as water, which by constant repetition will not quench thirst. The Name ‘Krishna’ is the Lord Himself — One and the Same. The Lord with His Forms, Attributes, Lila, Entourage and all that is His is identical with the Holy Name. The name is not a mundane word with its defects and limitations but the transcendental sound of infinite Potency and Beauty. By constant chanting of the Name with total submission free from sins (Aparadha) one can under the guidance of a Sat-Guru (true spiritual master), serve the Holy Lotus Feet of the Lord. Chanting itself satisfies the Lord and purifies the mind of Sevakas (devotees). The chanting and the service of the Lord can properly be practised by congregation of devotees under the care and discipline of a Sat-Guru living in a congenial atmosphere.
Mahaprabhu Sri Krishna Chaitanya has been pleased to proclaim with applause the saying of Brihad Naradiya Purana (38/126 Sloka) as in Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi, Chapter VII, Sloka 76:-
Harer nama Harer nama Harer namaiva kevalam
Kalou nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gatiranyatha
“The name of Hari, the name of Hari, Oh, the Name of Hari alone; nothing else in kaliyug, nothing else, Nothing Else can lead us to Goal.”
Kirtan
It is only a self-deception to think that any other method except Bhakti is productive of the highest good. Among all other forms of devotion to God, the devotion denoted by Kirtan is the strongest and the best, which gives Jivas the highest good with little effort on their part. Therefore, practising Kirtan at all times to induce Jivas, by right of soul’s kinship, turning them homeward is true universal love, true help offered to others, true kindness shown and the true duty of life. The Gaudiya Mission embraces all the inhabitants of the universe. Without exception and with importunity it requests all to turn their faces towards God and to become the followers of this Bhakti denoted by Kirtan.
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