Sri Rupa Gosvami's Upadesamrta with Illuminations of Srila B.R. Sridhara MaharajaForeward to Upadeśāmṛta
Sri Rupa Gosvami's Upadesamrta with Illuminations of Srila B.R. Sridhara MaharajaIntroduction to Upadeśāmṛta

Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Upadeśāmṛta

Preface

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Upadeśāmṛta Chapter Overview

Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Upadeśāmṛta (The Nectar of Instruction) is presented along with the illuminations (commentary) of Śrīla B.R. Śrīdhara Mahārāja. This book includes the original Devanāgarī and word for word translation of each verse, illuminations by Śrīla B.R. Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja, an extensive introduction delineating the history of the Upadeśāmṛta, 6 colour plates and brief biographies of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrīla Śridhara Mahārāja.

At the beginning of 2008, while transcribing the lectures of Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja, I noticed how many times His Divine Grace referenced Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Upadeśāmṛta and was inspired to see if I could compile a commentary on the original verses of Śrī Rūpa from his talks. As there was ample reference material to draw from, we eventually embarked upon printing the first edition of Upadeśāmṛta with illuminations by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja.

When we presented the first edition to our Gurudeva, Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja, on his Vyāsa Pūjā in 2009, he felt great joy upon seeing it – so much so that in the same year, during Kārttika-māsa, he gave a number of talks from Upadeśāmṛta at Rādhā-Dāmodara Temple in Śrī Vṛndāvana-dhāma. In particular, he spoke on the last two verses in relation to taking up residence at Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa and bathing in Her sacred waters.

Since its initial publication, many kind-hearted devotees have expressed their appreciation. Now that all copies of the first print have been exhausted, we are reprinting it for the transcendental pleasure of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava community.

Our Guru Mahārāja had suggested that for the second printing we should include the word for word translation of the original ślokas, thus we have provided these for the benefit of the readers.

Svāmī Bhakti Vijñāna Giri

Sri Rupa Gosvami's Upadesamrta with Illuminations of Srila B.R. Sridhara MaharajaForeward to Upadeśāmṛta
Sri Rupa Gosvami's Upadesamrta with Illuminations of Srila B.R. Sridhara MaharajaIntroduction to Upadeśāmṛta
Avatar of Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī
Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Mahārāja appeared in this world in the village of Hapaniya, West Bengal, in 1895 within a high class Bhaṭṭācārya brāhmaṇa family. After studying philosophy at Krishnanath College in Berhampore, he met his guru, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, and accepted initiation from him in 1926 and sannyāsa in 1930. In 1942 Śrīla B.R. Śrīdhara Mahārāja founded the Śrī Caitanya Sārasvata Maṭha and remained there until his departure from this world in 1988. He was recognised by his godbrothers for his dispassionate nature and common sense, as well as for his superlative Sanskrit compositions and profound philosophical insights.