Overview
The following is the preface to the Upadeśāmṛta of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī with the illuminations of Śrīla Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja by Śrīpāda Bhakti kiśora Araṇya Mahārāja.
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto my initiating spiritual master, Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda, who rescued me from the ocean of repeated birth and death, and who established within me the understanding of what is what in relation to my ultimate prospect – love of God. It was he who guided us to the lotus feet of Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja, who out of his causeless mercy, gave us shelter and protected us after the calamitous reactions that took place after the departure of Śrīla Prabhupāda. It was Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja who refined and enhanced our conception of divinity. What Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us in his books, Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja drew out the essence of those instructions and imparted them to the Vaiṣṇava world, both by practical and personal directives to all that came to hear from him.
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī penned this great and formidable treatise, Upadeśāmṛta, a practical guide on how to proceed in bhakti step by step, beginning with sense, mind and emotional control, enabling one to move towards the highest level of devotional sentiments in line with the maidservants of Gāndharvā Śrī Rādhā, the topmost servant of Śrī Govindadeva.
Inspired from deep within, Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja gives his clear and spontaneous, inspirational śikṣā on each and every verse penned by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, who is none other than Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī. These clear and illuminating revelations prove that Sarasvatī Ṭhākura saw in Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja a person qualified to carry on the proper conception of divinity, just as Mahāprabhu Himself considered Rūpa Gosvāmī to be the most qualified person to receive and elucidate His directives.
The explanations spoken by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja to these eleven verses are taken from a compilation of various discussions with disciples of His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda over a period of seven years.
It was the arduous sevā of our dear friend and godbrother, Śrīpāda Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja (Jagat-Guru Svāmī) along with his dear disciples who extracted the relevant śikṣā and correlated it to the appropriate verses of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī that makes this exceptional treatise of devotion an absolutely necessary addition to ones progressive march towards the ultimate goal of life – service in the line of Śrī Śrī Gāndharvikā-Govindasundara as propounded by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.
May the readers of this work be blessed by the compassionate hand of our Guardians in order that that they may give proper and clear directives to all that they meet, so that they may become family members of Govinda. As a result, the Vaiṣṇava community will prosper in a happy, harmonious and progressive way.
Swami Bhakti Kiśora Araṇya
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Our new publication of the Upadeśāmṛta of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī with the illuminations of Śrīla Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī is now available as a hardcover book and ebook format. You can read it online for free, download a pdf or purchase a copy Read or purchase Upadesamrta here.
You can also listen to the audiobook version for free. Listen to the Upadesamrta Audiobook.
Related Articles & Books
- 📖 Upadeśāmṛta (The Nectar of Instruction) with the illuminations of Śrīla Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī’ (Book)
- 🎧 Upadeśāmṛta Audiobook
- Introduction to Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu by Śrīla Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī
- Dāsa Gosvāmī and the Unique Position of Govardhana by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja
- Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja and the Gem of All Conceptions by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja
- The Appearance of Rādhā-kuṇḍa by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja
- The Greatest Negative by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja
- Preface to the Upadeśāmṛta by Śrīla Bhakti Kiśora Āraṇya Mahārāja
Further Reading
Pilgrimage with Swami Narasiṅgha – Part 7: Keśī Ghāṭa
Continuing with our pilgrimage series, this week Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāja takes us to Keśī Ghāṭā where he tells us about Madhumaṅgala’s meeting with the Keśī demon, what Keśī represents, and how Śrīla Prabhupāda almost acquired Keśī Ghāṭa. Mahārāja also narrates his own experience. This article has been adapted from a number of talks and articles by Narasiṅgha Mahārāja.
Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram with the Narasiṅgha Sevaka Commentary – Verses 61-65
In verses 61 to 65 of 'Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram', Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja narrates the pastime of Śrī Caitanya at Caṭaka Parvata In Purī and explains how the scriptures produced by Brahmā and Śiva are ultimately searching for the personality of Mahāprabhu who is merciful too all jīvas, no matter what their social position.
Prabhupāda Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s Visit to Ayodhyā
With the forthcoming observance of Śrī Rāma Navamī, we present 'Prabhupāda Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s Visit to Ayodhyā' written by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda from The Gaudīyā magazine, Vol 3. Issue 21/ In December 1924, after visiting Benares and Prāyāga, Sarasvatī Ṭhākura visited the birth-site of Śrī Rāmācandra in Ayodhyā.
Śaraṇāgati – The Only Path to Auspiciousness
In this article, 'Śaraṇāgati - The Only Path to Auspiciousness', Dhīra Lalitā Dāsī analyses the process of śaraṇāgati (surrender) beginning with śraddhā (faith). She also discusses the role of śāstra and the Vaiṣṇava in connection with surrender.
Pilgrimage with Swami Narasiṅgha – Part 7: Keśī Ghāṭa
Continuing with our pilgrimage series, this week Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāja takes us to Keśī Ghāṭā where he tells us about Madhumaṅgala’s meeting with the Keśī demon, what Keśī represents, and how Śrīla Prabhupāda almost acquired Keśī Ghāṭa. Mahārāja also narrates his own experience. This article has been adapted from a number of talks and articles by Narasiṅgha Mahārāja.
Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram with the Narasiṅgha Sevaka Commentary – Verses 61-65
In verses 61 to 65 of 'Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram', Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja narrates the pastime of Śrī Caitanya at Caṭaka Parvata In Purī and explains how the scriptures produced by Brahmā and Śiva are ultimately searching for the personality of Mahāprabhu who is merciful too all jīvas, no matter what their social position.
Prabhupāda Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s Visit to Ayodhyā
With the forthcoming observance of Śrī Rāma Navamī, we present 'Prabhupāda Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s Visit to Ayodhyā' written by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda from The Gaudīyā magazine, Vol 3. Issue 21/ In December 1924, after visiting Benares and Prāyāga, Sarasvatī Ṭhākura visited the birth-site of Śrī Rāmācandra in Ayodhyā.
Śaraṇāgati – The Only Path to Auspiciousness
In this article, 'Śaraṇāgati - The Only Path to Auspiciousness', Dhīra Lalitā Dāsī analyses the process of śaraṇāgati (surrender) beginning with śraddhā (faith). She also discusses the role of śāstra and the Vaiṣṇava in connection with surrender.