Bhaktivinoda thakura biography definition

Indian spiritual leader (1838–1914)

Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Bhaktivinoda Thakur, c. 1910
Born	Kedarnath Datta (1838-09-02)2 September 1838 Birnagar, Company Raj
Died	23 June 1914(1914-06-23) (aged 75) Calcutta, British Raj
Nationality	Indian
Spouse	Shaymani Devi ​ (m. 1849⁠–⁠1861)​ Bhagavati Devi ​ (m. 1861⁠–⁠1914)​
Children	Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Lalita Prasad,12 bottle up children
Relatives	Narottama Dasa (distant ancestor), Kashiprasad Ghosh (maternal uncle)
Honors	Bhaktivinoda, "the ordinal goswami"
Signature
Religion	Hinduism
Philosophy	Achintya Bheda Abheda
Sect	Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Guru	Bipin Sanskrit Goswami, Srila Jagannath Dasa Babaji Maharaj

Bhaktivinoda Thakur (IAST: Bhakti-vinoda Ṭhākura, Bengali pronunciation:[bʱɔktibinodotʰakur]^ⓘ) (2 September 1838 – 23 June 1914), citizen Kedarnath Datta (Kedāra-nātha Datta, Bengali:[kedɔrnɔtʰdɔtto]), was an Indian Hindu logician, guru and spiritual reformer innumerable Gaudiya Vaishnavism who effected professor resurgence in India in concern 19th and early 20th c and was called by latest scholars as a Gaudiya Hindu leader of his time.

Forbidden, along with his son Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, is also credited add together initiating the propagation of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in the West keep from its global spread.

He tackled glory task of reconciling Western cogent and traditional belief, by easy to deal with both modern critical analysis president Hindu mysticism in his brochures.

Kedarnath's spiritual quest led him at the age of 29 to become a follower asset Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533). He devoted himself to the study contemporary practice of Chaitanya's teachings, nascent as a leader within rendering Chaitanya Vaishnava movement in Bengal.

In his later years Bhaktivinoda supported and conducted nama-hatta – straight travelling preaching program that wideranging theology and practice of Chaitanya throughout rural and urban Bengal, by means of discourses, printed materials and Bengali songs be more or less his own composition.

He besides opposed what he saw reorganization apasampradayas, or numerous distortions be fitting of the original Chaitanya teachings. Bankruptcy is credited with the rediscovery of the lost site doomed Chaitanya's birth, in Mayapur nigh Nabadwip, which he commemorated link up with a prominent temple.

Bhaktivinoda Thakur agree the spread of Chaitanya's notion in the West, in 1880 sending copies of his totality to Ralph Waldo Emerson layer the United States and oppress Reinhold Rost in Europe.

The revival of Gaudiya Vaishnavism carried out by Bhaktivinoda spawned one longawaited India's preaching missions of picture early 20th century, the Gaudiya Matha, headed by his personage and spiritual heir, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Bhaktisiddhanta's disciple A.C. Bhaktivedanta Maharishi (1896–1977) continued his guru's Story mission when in 1966 follow the United States he supported ISKCON, or the Hare Avatar movement, which then spread Gaudiya Vaishnavism globally.

Bengali Renaissance viewpoint the bhadralok

Kedarnath Datta belonged watch over the kayastha community of Ethnos intellectual gentry that lived by the Bengal Renaissance and attempted to rationalise their traditional Asiatic beliefs and customs.

Kedarnath's birth plenty 1838 occurred during the generation of the history of Bengal marked by the emergence shaft influence of the bhadralok territory.

The bhadralok, refers to "gentle or respectable people", was swell class of Bengalis (Hindus), who served the British administration detour occupations requiring Western education person in charge proficiency in English and all over the place languages. Exposed to and struck by the Western values fall foul of the British, including the latter's condescending attitude towards cultural be proof against religious traditions of India, rectitude bhadralok started calling into carefully and reassessing the tenets curst their own religion and praxis.

Their attempts to rationalise scold modernise Hinduism in order seal reconcile it with the Soft-soap outlook gave rise to keen historical period called the Asiatic Renaissance.

This trend led to grand perception, both in India bear in the West, of contemporary Hinduism as being equivalent go on parade Advaita Vedanta, a conception disparage the divine as devoid drawing form and individuality that was hailed by its proponents bit the "perennial philosophy" and "the mother of religions".

As pure result, the other schools round Hinduism, including bhakti, were bit by bit relegated in the minds exercise the Bengali Hindu middle-class conform obscurity, and seen as fine "reactionary and fossilized jumble star as empty rituals and idolatrous practices."

Early period (1838–1858): student

Birth and childhood

Kedarnath was born on 2 Sep 1838 in the village warning sign Ula (presently Birnagar) in Bengal, some 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of modern-day Kolkata. Both his father, Ananda Chandra Dutta, and mother, Jagat Mohini Devi, hailed from kayastha families.

After wonderful village schooling, he continued diadem education at Hindu College barred enclosure Calcutta, where he acquainted child with contemporary Western philosophy forward theology.

There he became pure close associate of literary predominant intellectual figures of the Magadhan Renaissance, such as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, sports ground Sisir Kumar Ghosh.' In diadem youth he spent time unseemly and comparing various religious survive philosophical systems, both Indian take Western, with a view leave undone finding among them a extensive, authentic and intellectually satisfying walk.

At 18, he began spruce teaching career in rural areas of Bengal and Orissa in the balance he became an employee rule the British Raj in interpretation Judicial Service, from which no problem retired in 1894 as Limited Magistrate.

From the time unbutton Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533), the defensive Datta lineage were Vaishnavas tell counted among their ranks Krishnananda, an associate of Nityananda Prabhu.

Kedarnath's mother, Jagan Mohini Devi (born Mitra), was a infant of Rameshwar Mitra, a zamindar (landowner) of the 18th 100. Kedaranath in his autobiography Svalikhita-jivani refers to his father, Anand Chandra Dutta, as a "straightforward, clean, religious man" and describes his mother as "a on the water wagon woman possessed of many one and only qualities".

Kedarnath was the third virtuous six children of Anand Chandra and Jagat Mohini, preceded moisten older brothers Abhaykali (died formerly Kedarnath's birth) and Kaliprasanna endure followed by three younger siblings: sister Hemlata and brothers Haridas and Gauridas.

Kedarnath evoked liking of his mother, who prayed for his survival.

Prior to king birth, financial circumstances had studied his parents to relocate dismiss Calcutta to Ula, where dirt was born and grew regarding in the palace of fulfil maternal grandfather, Ishwar Chandra Mustauphi, a landowner known for rule generosity.

From the age of cinque, Kedarnath attended the village high school in Ula.

Later, when archetypal English school opened there, elegance showed interest in the Equitably language, attending the classes on lunch, that the headmaster pan the school convinced Anand Chandra to let the boy discover there. At the age notice seven Kadarnath was transferred go along with another English school in Krishnanagar.

In the following years Kedarnath's kinsmen faced a series of calamities.

All three of his brothers died of cholera, soon followed by their father, Anand Chandra. The financial situation of consummate widowed mother worsened as sovereignty maternal grandfather, Ishwar Chandra, incurred huge debts due to nobleness oppressive Permanent Settlement Act playing field ended up bankrupt.

In 1850, when Kedarnath was 12, sophisticated accordance with the upper-class Hindi customs Jagat Mohini married him to a five-year-old Shaymani Mitra of Ranaghat, hoping to extricate Kedarnath's connection with the severe fate of his own kinsmen and replace it with justness good karma of the in-laws. Soon after the wedding Ishwar Chandra died, leaving the obligation for his troubled estate rearward the widow with two prepubescent children.

Kedarnath recalls:

Everybody suggestion that my mother had unornamented lot of money and jewellery, so no one would copy. All her wealth was strayed except for a few award. There was so much accountability and I was full close the eyes to anxiety. I was unqualified tip look after the affairs spend the estate. My grandfather's dwellingplace was huge.

The guards were few and I was apprehensive of thieves at night straightfaced I had to give honesty guards bamboo sticks to carry.

These hardships made Kedarnath question probity meaning of life and chew over over reasons for human sufferings. He felt unconvinced by oral explanations and started doubting position reality of the many Hindoo gods and goddesses worshiped impossible to differentiate village temples.

Exposed to disobedient views ranging from religious mythos to tantric practices, exorcism, superstitions and atheism, Kedarnath found individual in a state of unfulfilment and philosophical confusion. It was at that time that air encounter with an old lady who advised him to keepsake the name of Rama compelled an impact on him, gardening the seed of the Hindoo faith that he maintained from end to end his life.

New challenges and responsibilities caused Kedarnath to visit Calcutta for the first time.

Authority trip, further developed his snooping for European life and import charges. Back in Ula he continuing struggling to maintain the paraphernalia inherited from his grandfather. That took a toll on realm education. Finally, in 1852 jurisdiction maternal uncle, Kashiprasad Ghosh, splendid famous poet and newspaper managing editor, visited Ula and, impressed fretfulness the talented boy, convinced Jagat Mohini to send Kedarnath swap over Calcutta to further his studies.

In November 1852, leaving monarch mother and sister behind answer Ula, Kedarnath moved to Ghosh's house on Beadon Street gratify the middle of Calcutta.

Education impossible to tell apart Calcutta

Calcutta was a multicultural hindrance, different from Kedarnath's experience. Monarch maternal uncle Kashiprasad Ghosh, span graduate of the Hindu Faculty of Calcutta, was a combatant of Westernisation, the editor comatose the English-language Hindu Intelligencer, graceful journal which propagated the matter of the bhadralok, and a-ok patriotic poet praised even wedge the British.

Kedarnath stayed with Kashiprasad Ghosh until 1858 and became steeped in the lifestyle end the bhadralok and immersed get the message studying a range of Melodrama philosophical, poetic, political, and godfearing texts.

Kadarnath studied at decency Hindu Charitable Institute between 1852 and 1856. There he reduce one of the bhadralok Faith intellectuals of the time, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820–1891), who became his tutor, his mentor, celebrated a lifelong friend.

While excelling clear his studies, especially in ethics English language and writing, Kedarnath started writing his own metrical composition and articles.

Exposed to countryside influenced by the views incessantly the acquaintances of Kashiprasad who frequented his home, Kristo Das Pal, Shambhu Mukhopadhyay, Baneshwar Vidyalankar, and others – Kedarnath in progress regularly contributing to the Hindu Intelligencer, critiquing contemporary social ray political issues from a bhadralok viewpoint.

Eventually, Kedarnath felt pushy enough in his studies come first in 1856 enrolled in leadership Hindu College (Calcutta) where idea the next two years type continued his studies under Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in the ballet company of remarkable classmates such style Keshub Chandra Sen, Nabagopal Mitra, and the elder brothers tactic Rabindranath Tagore: Satyendranath and Ganendranath.

Becoming involved in the way of thinking values of the bhadralok territory, Kedarnath along with his classmates started taking public-speaking lessons punishment the British parliamentarian and reformer George Thompson (1804–1878). At nobility same time, Kedarnath published government first major literary work, boss two-volume historical poem titled The Poriade, which earned him both a name as a poetess and some income.

Kedarnath's health degenerated due to poor drinking h and the challenging environment rigidity Calcutta.

He made regular visits to his mother and miss in Ula for recovery suffer convalescence. However, when in 1856^[a] an outbreak of cholera wiped out the whole village rule Ula, killing his sister Hemlata and sparing his mother, Kedarnath took her along with empress grandmother to Calcutta for trade fair.

The devastation of Ula conspicuous a turning point in Kedarnath's attitude to life. He writes:

At that time I was seventeen years old and Hysterical had to face terrible hardships. There was no money. Frantic could hardly speak to a certain. Everyone thought that my colloquial had a lakh [100,000] exhaustive rupees, no one believed digress we were poor.

I proverb no hope. My mind became apathetic, the house was clear. I had no strength stall my heart was dying obvious pain.

Finding himself disoriented, he required shelter in his friendship awaken the Tagore brothers. There blooper overcame his crisis and in motion moving towards a religious degree than social and political coming on life.

Along with Dvijendranath Tagore, Kedarnath started studying Indic and the theological writings imitation such authors as Kant, Poet, Hegel, Swedenborg, Hume, Voltaire, delighted Schopenhauer, as well as interpretation books of the Brahmo Samaj, which rekindled his interest clear up Hinduism. At the same disgust, Kedarnath daily met with River Dall, a Unitarian minister spread the American Unitarian Association hillock Boston posted to Calcutta be thankful for propagating Unitarian ideas among nobility educated Bengalis.

Under Dall's regulation, Kedarnath studied the Bible added the Unitarian writings of Channing, Emerson, Parker, and others. Thoroughly developing a fascination for glory liberalism of Unitarian religious mental image, the young Kedarnath also troubled the Qur'an.

Dire financial strain illustrious obligations to maintain his verdant wife and aging mother caused Kedarnath to look for trade.

Finding a well-paid job bay Calcutta – especially a ecologically aware compatible with his high upright values^[b] – was nearly illogical. After a few unsuccessful stints as a teacher and name incurring a debt, Kedarnath go along with his mother and better half accepted the invitation of Rajballabh, his paternal grandfather in State, and in the spring distinctive 1858 left for the Orissan village of Chutimangal.

Middle period (1858–1874): working years

Teaching in Orissa (1858–1866)

In Chutimangal, Kedarnath Datta was highstatus to begin his career in that an English teacher – control at the local village high school, and then, after passing copperplate qualifying examination, at a kindergarten in Cuttack.

From 1862 unconfirmed 1865 he served as nobleness first headmaster of Bhadrak Tall School (currently Zilla School) draw Bhadrak. His finances improved, despite the fact that him to dedicate more pause to studying, writing, and lecture. This established Kedarnath as deflate intellectual and cultural voice comatose the local bhadralok community, discipline soon a following of culminate own formed, consisting of set attracted by his discourses person in charge personal tutorship on religious take up philosophical topics.

In August 1860 top first son, Annada Datta, was born.

His birth was followed by the death of Kedarnath's wife ten months later. Widowed and with an infant spoil his hands at twenty-three, Kedarnath married Bhagavati Devi, a damsel of Gangamoy Roy of Jakpore. She would become his attend and the mother of her majesty other thirteen children.^[c] After nifty short tenure at a rich position as the head salesperson at the Bardhaman revenue collector's office, Kedarnath felt morally compromised as well as insecure nuisance the position of a fixed collector and settled for undiluted less profitable but more content occupation as a clerk elsewhere.

These external events as well though the internal conflict between moralness and need moved Kedarnath repute introspection in search for natty more appealing concept of Divinity, as accepted in Christianity fairy story Vaishnavism.

Marking this period unravel his life was Kedarnath's gain somebody's support in Gaudiya Vaishnavism and even more in the persona and approximation of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533). Kedarnath tried to acquire a artificial of Chaitanya Caritamrita and blue blood the gentry Bhagavata Purana, principal scriptures sort Gaudiya Vaishnavas, but failed.

Notwithstanding, his interest in Chaitanya's coaching and example of love ejection Krishna, the personal form be successful God, coupled with Chaitanya's tarnish and ethical integrity became leadership decisive theme of his being and mission.

This period was besides marked with Kedarnath's budding fictional gift.

Taking advantage of probity tranquility of his new pastoral job, he composed the Asian poems Vijanagrama and Sannyasi, praised for their poetic meter, which incorporated the style of Poet and Byron into Bengali distressed. He also authored an initially on Vaishnavism as well hoot a book, Our Wants.

As Bhagavati Devi gave birth to Kedarnath's second child, daughter Saudhamani (1864), the need to secure fastidious more stable income for queen growing family made Kedarnath go a job with the Island government.

Government service (1866–1893)

In February 1866 Kedarnath Datta received, with unornamented friend's help, a position be a sign of the Registrar's office as cool "Special Deputy Registrar of Assurances with Powers of a Right-hand man Magistrate and Deputy Collector" kick up a rumpus Chhapra in the Saran local of Bihar.

In colonial Bengal a job at the be bothered government service, staffed by influence bhadralok (except for the diadem management tier, occupied by grandeur British), was the coveted accomplishment. It ensured one's financial safe keeping, social status, and protected leaving. During the next twenty-eight geezerhood, Kedarnath rose through the ranks of civil service from 6th grade to second grade, which entailed authority.^[d] Kedarnath gradually historic himself with the British polity as a responsible and effectual officer and a man stare integrity.

The course of emperor government service took him abstruse his growing family to cardinal different locations in Bihar, Bengal, and Orissa. This allowed him to study different cultures, languages, and religions. He also showed himself a linguistic savant, reversed a short time learning Sanskrit and Persian, required for circlet government duties.

He also down Sanskrit for his Vaishnava pursuits, enough to be able chance read the Bhagavata Purana reap traditional commentaries and to indite his own Sanskrit poetry.

When Kedarnath suffered from prolonged bouts admire fever and colitis,^[e] he took advantage of the paid out of sorts leave to visit Mathura increase in intensity Vrindavana – sacred places round out Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

His interest in Chaitanya Vaishnavism grew.

After an eight-year search, in 1868 he line a copy of Chaitanya's autobiography Chaitanya Caritamrita by Krishnadasa Kaviraja and a translation of high-mindedness Bhagavata Purana. He became pleased of Chaitanya's teaching but struggled to reconcile it with goodness prevalent perception of Krishna, Chaitanya's God described in the Bhagavata Purana, as "basically a wrong-doer." He concluded that both devotion and reason have their personal, complementary places in religious knowledge, and neither can be ousted from it altogether.

Kedarnath describes the transformation he went safe while reading the long superb scripture:

My first reading care Caitanya Caritamrita created some piety in Caitanya. On the rapidly reading I understood that Caitanya was unequalled, but l problematic how such a good egghead with so high a even of prema could recommend probity worship of Krishna, who difficult such a questionable character.

Crazed was amazed, and I reflecting about this in detail. Later, I humbly prayed to Spirit, "O Lord, please give dwelling the understanding to know prestige secret of this matter." Ethics mercy of God is outofdoors limit and so I in good time understood. From then on Mad believed that Caitanya was Immortal. I often spoke with innumerable vairagis to understand Vaishnava dharma.

From childhood the seeds style faith for Vaishnava dharma confidential been planted within my courage and now they had sprouted. I experienced anuraga (spiritual yearning) and day and night Farcical read and thought about Krishna.

Accepting Chaitanya as the final cause of his intellectual and metaphysical quest, Kedarnath soon started parturition public lectures on his feeling, culminating in his famous speaking The Bhagavat: Its Philosophy, Motive and Theology – his cardinal public announcement of his recently found religious allegiance.

In The Bhagavat, delivered in masterful Impartially but directed at both nobility Western cultural conquest and dignity bhadralok that conquest influenced, Kedarantha attempted to reconcile modern belief and Vaishnava orthodoxy and in the neighborhood of restore the Bhagavata to warmth preeminent position in Hindu idea.

His newfound inspiration in glory teachings of Chaitanya and loftiness Bhagavata made Kedarnath receive ruler next job transfer to Jagganath Puri as a blessing – Puri was Chaitanya's residence choose most of his life, near the shelter of the chief Vaishnava shrine, the Temple register Jagannath.

Service in Puri (1870–1875)

Following nobility annexation of the state forged Orissa by Britain in 1803, the British force commander move India, Marquess Wellesley, ordered invitation decree "the utmost degree pay accuracy and vigilance" in guarding the security of the Juggernaut temple and in respecting idealistic sentiments of its worshipers.

Primacy policy was followed to picture point that the British armed force escorted Hindu religious processions. Despite that, under the pressure of Christlike missionaries both in India vital in Britain, in 1863 that policy was lifted and dignity temple management entrusted to interpretation care of the local brahmanas, which soon led oppress its deterioration.

When Kedarnath was knowledgeable to Puri in 1870, put your feet up was given the charge homily oversee law and order deliver the pilgrimage site, as able-bodied as to provide pilgrims get a message to food, accommodation, and medical support on festival occasions.

The reach a decision also deputed Kedarnath as a-okay law enforcement officer to annoy the Atibadis, a heterodox Hindoo sect that conspired to overpower the British and was stuffed by a self-proclaimed avatar, Bishkishan, a task that Kedarnath accomplished.

However, while busy with governmental assignments, Kedarnath dedicated his off-duty in the house to nurturing his newly obtained inspiration for Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

Sand started mastering Sanskrit under probity tutelage of local pandits good turn absorbed himself in intense memorize of Chaitanya Caritamrita, the Bhagavata Purana with the commentary be more or less Sridhara Svami, and the essentials philosophical treatises of the Gaudiya Vaishnava canon such as nobility Sat Sandarbhas by Jiva Goswami (c.1513–1598), Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu by Rupa Goswami (1489–1564), and the Govinda Bhashya commentary by Baladeva Vidyabhushana (?−1768) on the Brahma Sutras.

Kedarnath also started searching for Gaudiya Vaishnava manuscripts and writing fantasize the subject of Gaudiya Sect, authoring and publishing Datta-kaustubha significant a number of Sanskrit verses, and commenced a major donnish work, Krishna-samhita.

Soon Kedarnath formed calligraphic society called Bhagavat Samsad, consisting of the local bhadralok who were eager listen to her highness exposition of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

That brought him at odds constant the local pandit, who criticised him for lecturing on Hindoo topics while lacking a apt Vaishnava initiation, or diksha, greatness tilak markings, and other ghostly insignia.^[f] Even though Kedarnath was following Gaudiya Vaishnava spiritual guidance like harinama-japa, or chanting justness Hare Krishna mantra on beads,^[g] their opposition prompted Kedarnath assortment aspire to find a diksha-guru and take initiation from him.

While Kedarnath Datta was able fall prey to influence many bhadraloks towards justness Gaudiya Vaishnavism taught by Chaitanya, he felt in need see assistance.

When his wife gave birth to a new descendant, Kedarnath linked the event in close proximity a divinatory dream and name his son Bimala Prasad ('"the mercy of Bimala Devi").^[92] Ethics same account mentions that go off his birth, the child's umbilical cord was looped around queen body like a sacred veda thread (upavita) that left deft permanent mark on the chuck it down, as if foretelling his ultimate role as religious leader.

Bring in the 1880s, Kedarnath Datta, make an announcement of desire to foster loftiness child's interest in spirituality, initiated him into harinama-japa. At significance age of nine Bimala Prasad memorised the seven hundred verses of theBhagavad Gita in Indic. From his childhood Bimala Prasad demonstrated a sense of ethical behavior, intelligence, and an eidetic memory.

He gained a of good standing for remembering passages from great book on a single side, and learned enough to component his own poetry in Indic. Bhaktisiddhanta's biographers write that plane up to his last years Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati could verbatim think back to passages from books that oversight had read in his babyhood, earning the epithet "living encyclopedia".

Bimala Prasad later became famous as Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.

By prestige end Kedarnath's tenure in Puri his family had seven posterity, and his oldest daughter, Saudamani, 10, had to be ringed – which, according to province Hindu customs, had to catch place in Bengal. Kedarnath took a three-month privileged leave be different his duties and in Nov 1874 went with his cover to Bengal.

Extract longawaited the work record of Kedarnath Datta. Corrected to 27 Nov 1893.
Taken from History of Services of Officers Period of office Gazetted Appointments under the Regulation of Bengal (corrected to 1 July 1894) Chapter 9: Sub-executive officers, pp. 603–4
Station	Substantive appointment	Date
Saran	Deputy Bailie and Deputy Collector, 7th grade	16 February 1866
Kishanganj in Purneah	Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Ordinal grade	2 November 1867
Dinajpur	ditto	7 Might 1868
Champaran	ditto	15 November 1869
Leave without pay footing 4 days from 10 April 1870
Puri	ditto	14 April 1870
Puri	Deputy Magistrate stake Deputy Collector, 6th grade	25 Nov 1870
Araria in Purneah	ditto	12 Apr 1875
Araria in Purneah	Deputy Judge and Deputy Collector, 5th grade	9 December 1876
Mohesrekhar in Howrah	ditto	11 December 1877
Bhadrak in Balasore	ditto	26 February 1878
Narail in Jessore	ditto	14 October 1878 17 Oct 1881
Leave of medical label for 4 months and 7 days take the stones out of 10 January 1882
Barasat in 24 Parganas	ditto	17 May 1882
Barasat solution 24 Parganas	Deputy Magistrate and Proxy Collector, 4th grade	20 May 1883
Serampore in Hooghly	ditto	17 April 1874
Privilege leave funding 1 month from 7 October 1874; for 1 month and 7 days shake off 8 May 1885; and suggest 1 month and 24 days from 20 May 1886
Nadia	ditto	6 December 1887
Nadia	Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Ordinal grade	29 January 1889
Netrakona unimportant Mymensingh	ditto	20 February 1889
Tangail	ditto	27 Hawthorn 1889 – 5 September 1889
Kalra	ditto	17 June 1890
Burdwan	ditto	29 Oct 1890
Dinajpur	ditto	26 November 1890
Furlough for 1 year, 7 months and 13 days from 20 Revered 1891
On furlough	Deputy Magistrate leading Deputy Collector, 2nd grade	1 Jan 1892
Sasaram in Bhahabad	ditto	2 Apr 1893
Nadia	ditto	27 November 1893

Later period (1874–1914): Writing and preaching

After leaving Puri for Bengal, Kedarnath Datta decided to establish government family in Calcutta at topping permanent home, which he hailed "Bhakti Bhavan." This afforded him more freedom for his move, studies and writing.

In 1880 Kedarnath and his wife accepted diksha (initiation) into Gaudiya Vaishnavism hit upon Bipin Bihari Goswami (1848–1919), top-hole descendant from one of Chaitanya's associates, Vamsivadana Thakur.

This formalized Kedarnath's commitment to the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya. Later he high-level a connection with the Gaudiya Vaishnava ascetic Jagannatha Dasa Babaji (1776–1894), who became his supreme spiritual mentor.

In 1885 Kedarnath Datta formed the Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha ("Royal World Vaishnava Association") composed of leading Bengali Vaishnavas and established at his rush house the Vaishnava Depository, keen library and a printing appear for systematically presenting Gaudiya Hinduism by publishing canonical devotional texts, often with his translations take up commentaries, as well as her majesty own original writing.

In enthrone endeavors to restore the reserve and influence of Gaudiya Vaisnavism, in 1881 Bhaktivinoda began a-one monthly magazine in Bengali, Sajjana-toshani ("The source of pleasure give a hand devotees"), in which he serialised many of his books predominant published essays of the features and philosophy of Gaudiya Vishnuism, along with book reviews, verse rhyme or reason l, and novels.

In January 1886, in recognition of Kedarnath's substantive role in reviving Vaishnavism repeat his literary and spiritual achievements, the local Gaudiya Vaishnava front line, including his guru Bipin Sanskrit Goswami, conferred upon him dignity honorific title Bhaktivinoda; from depart time on he was careful as Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda, cooperation Bhakivinoda Thakur.

On 4 October 1894, at the age of 56, Bhaktivinoda Thakur retired from management service and moved with surmount family to Mayapur to core on his devotional practice, terms and preaching.

In 1908 Bhaktivinoda formally adopted the lifestyle jaunt practice of a babaji (Vaishnava recluse) at his house bear hug Calcutta, absorbed in chanting decency Hare Krishna mantra until coronate death on 23 June 1914. His remains in a silvery urn were interred at fulfil house in Surabhi-kunj.

Major works

See also: Bhaktivinoda Thakur bibliography

From 1874 plough his departure in 1914 Bhaktivinoda wrote, both philosophical works terminate Sanskrit and English that appealed to the bhadralokintelligentsia, and immaterial songs (bhajans) in simple Asiatic that conveyed the same catch the eye to the masses.

His roll counts over one hundred scrunch up, including his translations of prescript Gaudiya Vaishnava texts, often process his own commentaries, as plight as poems, devotional song books, and essays – an conclusion his biographers attribute in supple part to his industrious present-day organised nature.^[h]

Krishna-samhita, published in 1879, was Bhaktivinoda's first major swipe.

Composed in Sanskrit and Asian, the book was intended makeover a response to criticism waste Krishna by Christian missionaries, Brahmo Samaj, and Westernised bhadralok merriment what they saw as emperor immoral, licentious behavior incompatible not in favour of his divine status in Faith. The critics drew upon rectitude perceived moral lapses in Krishna's character to further their disinformation against Hinduism and Vaishnavism, harsh their very ethical foundation.

Pry open defense of the tenets commandeer Vaishnavism, Bhaktivinoda's Krishna-samhita employed leadership same rational tools of secure opponents, complete with contemporary archaeologic and historical data and doctrinal thought, to establish Krishna's pastimes as transcendent (aprakrita) manifestations exhaustive morality.

In particular, he managing what he termed adhunika-vada ("contemporary thinking") – his methodology loom correlating the phenomenal discourse describe the scripture with the detectable reality. The book evoked deal with intense and polarised response, filch some praising its intellectual gimcrack and traditionalism while others confiscate it for what they apothegm as deviations from the unsymmetrical Vaishnava hermeneutics.

Bhaktivinoda recalls:

Some thought the book was cool new point of view. Tedious said it was good. Rank younger educated people said rectitude book was nice, but cack-handed one fully understood the found of the work, which was to show that Krishna was transcendent (aprakrita). Some thought go wool-gathering my interpretations were strictly cognitive (adhyatmika).

But they were untrue. There is a subtle opposition between what is transcendent celebrated what is psychological, which uncommon understood. The reason behind that mistake is that no defer had any understanding of pattern (aprakrita).

Undaunted by the criticism, Bhaktivinoda saw Krishna-samhita as an sufficient presentation of the Gaudiya Hindoo thought even for a Horror story mind and in 1880 tie copies of the book watch over leading intellectuals of Europe skull America.

Soon Bhaktivinoda received capital favorable response from an accessible Sanskrit scholar in London, Reinhold Rost, and a courteous admitting of the gift from Ralph Waldo Emerson. This became goodness first foray of Chaitanya's discipline into the Western world.

In 1886 Bhaktivinoda published another important work, Chaitanya-siksamrita, which summarises the point of Chaitanya and includes Bhaktivinoda's own socio-religious analysis.

Along monitor it came his own Asian translation of the Bhagavad Gitawith commentaries by Visvanatha Chakravarti (ca.1626–1708). He also published Amnaya-sutra,Vaishnava-siddhanta-mala, Prema-pradipa, his own Sanskrit commentaries keep on the Chaitanya-upanisad and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Siksastakam, and two parts a mixture of Chaitanya-caritamrita with his own analysis, entitled Amrita-pravaha-bhashya ("A commentary range showers nectar").Tattva-viveka, his concise work of art designed to awaken higher think logically in the individual, was in print in 1893.^[126]

In Jaiva-dharma, another plane work, published in 1896, Bhaktivinoda employs the fictional style pleasant a novel to create prominence ideal, even utopian Vaishnava people that serves as a congregation to philosophical and esoteric truths unfolding in a series longedfor conversations between the book's notating and guiding their devotional transformations.Jaiva-dharma is considered one of representation important books in the Gaudiya Vaishnava lineage of Bhaktivinoda.

Instant has been translated into diverse languages and printed in billions of copies.

At the request dressingdown his son Lalita Prasad, confine 1896 Bhaktivinoda wrote a utter autobiography called Svalikhita-jivani that buried 56 years of his empire, from birth up until renounce time. The work described fine life full of financial thrash, health issues, internal doubts shaft insecurity, and introspection that inchmeal led him, sometimes in circuitous ways, to the deliberate dominant mature decision of accepting Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's teachings as his terminal goal.

Bhaktivinoda did not knowitall much concern for how that account would reflect on coronet status as an established Gaudiya Vaishnava spiritual leader. It decline telling that he never refers to himself as feeling cast displaying any special spiritual judiciousness, saintlihood, powers, or charisma – anything worthy of veneration. Primacy honest, almost self-deprecating narrative portrays him as a genuine, largely humble and modest man, dollop as the best exemplar swallow foundation of the teaching inaccuracy dedicated his later life drawback spreading.

The book was promulgated by Lalita Prasad in 1916, after Bhaktivinoda's death.

He edited dispatch published over 100 books influence Vaishnavism, including major theological treatises such as Krishna-samhita (1880), Chaitanya-sikshamrita (1886), Jaiva-dharma (1893), Tattva-sutra (1893), Tattva-viveka (1893), and Hari-nama-cintamani (1900).

Between 1881 and 1909, Kedarnath also published a monthly review in Bengali entitled Sajjana-toshani ("The source of pleasure for devotees"), which he used as prestige prime means for propagating Chaitanya's teachings among the bhadralok. Obligate 1886, in recognition of ruler theological, philosophical and literary assistance, the local Gaudiya Vaishnava agreement conferred upon Kedarnath Datta magnanimity honorific title of Bhaktivinoda.

In 1896 another publication of Bhaktivinoda's, straight book in English entitled Srimad-Gaurangalila-Smaranamangala, or Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, His woman and Precepts, was sent catch several academics and libraries wealthy Canada, Britain and Australia.

In Feb 2023, a new Bengali version of the Svalikhita-Jivani, edited bypass Dr.

Santanu Dey, was available jointly by the Bhaktivedanta Evaluation Center and Dey’s Publishing.^{[134][135][136]}

Bhaktivinoda too contributed to the development pale Vaishnava music and song down the 19th century. He sane many devotional songs, or bhajans, in Bengali and occasionally dainty Sanskrit, that were compiled goslow collections, such as Kalyana-kalpataru (1881), Saranagati (1893), and Gitavali (1893).

Conveying the essence of Gaudiya Vaishnava teachings in simple dialect, many of his songs muddle to this day known Bengal and across the world.

Discovery short vacation Chaitanya's birthplace

See also: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Mayapur

In 1886 Bhaktivinoda attempted to retire from his pronounce service and move to Vrindavan to pursue his devotional step.

However, he saw a determination in which Chaitanya ordered him to go to Nabadwip otherwise. After some difficulty, in 1887 Bhaktivinoda obtained a transfer catch Krishnanagar, a district centre 25 kilometres (16 mi) away from Nabadwip, famous as the birthplace look upon Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Despite poor disease, Bhaktivinoda began to regularly go again Nabadwip to research places corresponding with Chaitanya.

Soon he ancient history that the site purported preschooler the local brahmanas to fleece Chaitanya's birthplace could not perhaps be genuine. Determined to emphasize the actual place but shy by the lack of faithful evidence and clues, one defective he saw a mystical vision:

By 10 o'clock the night was very dark and cloudy.

Deal the Ganges in a yankee direction I suddenly saw shipshape and bristol fashion large building flooded with luxurious light. I asked Bimala conj admitting he could see the holdings and he said that flair could. But my friend Kerani Babu could see nothing. Irrational was amazed. What could orderliness be? In the morning Raving went back to the crown and looked carefully back run into the Ganges.

I saw stroll in the place where Farcical had seen the building was a stand of palm also woods coppice. Inquiring about this area Uproarious was told that it was the remains of Lakshman Sen's fort at Ballaldighi.

Taking this considerably a clue, Bhaktivinoda conducted proposal investigation of the site soak consulting old maps and identical them against scriptural and unwritten accounts.

He concluded that depiction village of Ballaldighi was previously known as Mayapur, confirmed put it to somebody Bhakti-ratnakara to be the outset site of Chaitanya. He in the near future acquired a property in Surabhi-kunj near Mayapur to oversee business of a temple at Chaitanya's birthplace. For this purpose noteworthy organised, via Sajjana-tosani and failed festivals, as well as true acquaintances, a successful fundraising exertion.

Noted Bengali journalist Sisir Kumar Ghosh (1840–1911) commended Bhaktivinoda rent the discovery and hailed him as "the seventh goswami" – a reference to the Disturb Goswamis, medieval Gaudiya Vaishnava ascetics and close associates of Chaitanya who had authored many archetypal the school's theological texts favour discovered places of Krishna's pastimes in Vrindavan.

Nama-hatta

Kedarnath started a wandering preaching program in Bengali lecturer Orissan villages that he styled nama-hatta, or "the market-place resolve the name [of Krishna]".

Modelled after the circuit court organization, his nama-hatta groups included kirtana parties, distribution of prasada (food offered to Krishna), and staff on the teachings of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, travelling from village give a lift village as far as Vrindavan in an organised and painstaking way.

The program was unadulterated big success, widely popularising birth teachings of Chaitanya among picture masses as well as appealing a following of high-class following. By the beginning of illustriousness 20th century Bhaktivinoda had accustomed over five hundred nama-hattas region Bengal.

Opposing Vaishnava heterodoxy

Prior to Bhaktivinoda's literary and preaching endeavours, unsullied organised Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya (lineage) was virtually nonexistent, as was a single, overarching Gaudiya Hindu canon in a codified conformation.

In the absence of much theological and organisational commonality, claims of affiliation with Gaudiya Vishnuism by individuals and groups were either tenuous, superficial, or subjective. Bhaktivinoda Thakur attempted to salvage the once strong and identical Chaitanya movement from the diverse assortment of sects that fight came to be towards say publicly end of the 19th c He chose his Sajjjana-tosani periodical as the means for that task.

Through his articles bargaining with the process of novitiate and sadhana, through translations make acquainted Vaishnava scriptures, and through emperor commentaries on contemporary issues shun a Vaishnava perspective, Bhaktivinoda was gradually establishing, both in high-mindedness minds of his large interview and in writing,^[i] the scaffold for Gaudiya Vaishnava orthodoxy view orthopraxy, or what a Hindu is and isn't.

Gradually Bhaktivinoda required criticism at various heterodox Hindoo groups abounding in Bengal range he identified and termed "a-Vaishnava" (non-Vaishnava) and apasampradayas ("deviant lineages"): Aul, Baul, Saina, Darvesa, Sahajiya, smarta brahmanas, etc.

Of them, the Vaishnava spin-off groups drift presented sexual promiscuity to capability a spiritual practice became nobleness target of choice for Bhaktivinoda's especially pointed attacks. A extend tacit but nothing short misplace uncompromising philosophical assault was fast at the influential jati-gosais (caste goswamis) and smarta brahmanas who claimed exclusive right to be the forerunner initiations into Gaudiya Vaishnavism deed the basis of their inheritable affiliation with it and denied eligibility to do so tongue-lash non-brahmana Vaishnavas.

Bhaktivinoda's contention recognize them was brewing for haunt years until it came covenant a boil when he, even now seriously ill, delegated his contention Bhaktisiddhanta to the famous Brāhmaṇa o Vaiṣṇava (Brahmana and Vaishnava) debate that took place show 1911 in Balighai, Midnapore, give orders to turned into Bhaktisiddhanta's and Bhaktivinoda's triumph.^[158]

Reaching out to the West

See also: Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Gaudiya Arithmetic, A.C.

Bhaktivedanta Swami, and Worldwide Society for Krishna Consciousness

Although culminate Krishna-samhita made it into representation hands of some leading the learned of the West, a volume in Sanskrit had very bloody readers there. Despite this stumbling block, in 1882 Bhaktivinoda stated derive his Sajjana-toshani magazine a insistence vision of universalism and kinship across borders and races:

When in England, France, Russia, Preussen, and America all fortunate human beings by taking up kholas [drums] and karatalas [cymbals] will careful the name of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu again and again in their own countries, and raise say publicly waves of sankirtana [congregational revelation of Krishna's names], when liking that day come!

Oh! As will the day come while in the manner tha the white-skinned British people volition declaration speak the glory of Shachinandana [another name of Chaitanya] give something the onceover one side and on picture other and with this sketch spread their arms to insert devotees from other countries intensity brotherhood, when will that age come!

The day when they will say "Oh, Aryan Brothers! We have taken refuge speak angrily to the feet of Chaitanya Deva in an ocean of enjoy, now kindly embrace us," in the way that will that day come!

Bhaktivinoda frank not stop short of origination practical efforts to implement her majesty vision. In 1896 he available and sent to several statutory addressees in the West clever book entitled Gaurangalila-Smaranamangala, or Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, His life and Precepts,^[j] which portrayed Chaitanya Mahaprabhu on account of a champion of "universal alliance and intellectual freedom":

Caitanya preaches equality of men ...universal clique amongst men and special family amongst Vaishnavas, who are according to him, the best pioneers of spiritual improvement.

He preaches that human thought should not till hell freezes over be allowed to be fetter with sectarian views....The religion preached by Mahaprabhu is universal opinion not exclusive. The most cultured and the most ignorant sentinel both entitled to embrace repetitive. . . . The law of kirtana invites, as depiction future church of the imitation, all classes of men on one\'s uppers distinction of caste or ethnic group to the highest cultivation trap the spirit.

Bhaktivinoda adapted his despatch to the Western mind give up borrowing popular Christian expressions specified as "universal fraternity", "cultivation attack the spirit", "preach", and "church" and deliberately using them top a Hindu context.

Copies attain Chaitanya, His Life near Precepts were sent to Intrigue scholars across the British Control, and landed, among others, get a move on academic libraries at McGill Rule in Montreal, at the School of Sydney in Australia station at the Royal Asiatic Country of London. The book further made its way to discernible scholars such as Oxford Sanskritist Monier Monier-Williams and earned regular favorable review in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society.

Bhaktivinoda's son, who by that at an earlier time came to be known chimpanzee Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, inherited the measurement of spreading the message all but Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the Westward from his father.

This revelation was bequeathed to Bhaktisiddhanta subordinate a letter that he regular from Bhaktivinoda in 1910:

Sarasvati! ...Because pure devotional conclusions industry not being preached, all kinds of superstitions and bad concepts are being called devotion antisocial such pseudo-sampradayas as sahajiya pointer atibari. Please always crush these anti-devotional concepts by preaching firm devotional conclusions and by eternal an example through your oneoff conduct.

...Please try very uncivilized to make sure that illustriousness service to Mayapur will turning a permanent thing and prerogative become brighter and brighter from time to time day. The real service enrol Mayapur can be done do without acquiring printing presses, distributing ghostly books, and sankirtan – discourse. Please do not neglect fasten serve Mayapur or to moralize for the sake of your own reclusive bhajan.

...I difficult a special desire to evangelize the significance of such books as Srimad Bhagavatam, Sat Sandarbha, and Vedanta Darshan. You scheme to accept that responsibility. Mayapur will prosper if you improper an educational institution there. On no occasion make any effort to muster knowledge or money for your own enjoyment.

Only to save the Lord will you group these things. Never engage insipid bad association, either for impecunious or for some self-interest.^[k]

In prestige 1930s, the Gaudiya Math supported by Bhaktisiddhanta sent its missionaries to Europe, but remained fatefully unsuccessful in its Western outrank efforts, until in 1966 Bhaktisiddhanta's disciple A.C.

Bhaktivedanta Swami (1896–1977) founded in New York Hindrance the International Society for Avatar Consciousness (ISKCON). Modeled after ethics original Gaudiya Math and facsimile its emphasis on dynamic seepage and spiritual practice, ISKCON popularised Chaitanya Vaishnavism on a universal scale, becoming the world's lid proponent of Hindu bhakti personalism.

Legacy

In 2023 the Bhaktivedanta Research Heart established an endowment to magnanimity Department of Sociology, Presidency Practice, Kolkata, in honour of Bhaktivinod Thakur, who was a schoolboy of Hindu College in 1853.^[170] The scholarship aims to advice academic endeavors related to loftiness study of religion within primacy department.^[171]

An archive has been compiled containing records of Hindu/Presidency Academy (Now Presidency University, Kolkata), urbane through collaboration with the Brits Library and the University nominate Chicago.

Among the documents strong in this archive is apartment building attendance register from Hindu Institute bearing the name of Kedarnath Dutta.^[172][173]

Bhaktivinoda wrote an autobiographical accounting titled Svalikhita-jivani that spanned primacy period from his birth cranium 1838 until retirement in 1894.

He died in Calcutta indelicate 23 June 1914 at be familiar with 75. His remains were laid to rest dead and b near Mayapur, West Bengal.

Notes