In this article ‘Ācāryas at Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara Temple, Vṛndāvana’ from KṛṣṇaTalk, 2014, Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāja explains the importance of Śrī Śrī Radhā-Dāmodara Temple in regards to the various ācāryas who resided there, including Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda.
“Those who stay there (Rādhā-Dāmodara Temple) will realise that those ācāryas (Śrī Rūpa, Jīva, etc.) are still living there. And if one is actually advancing in the spiritual field, they can still take instruction from the ācāryas living there. It is up to the individual, how he realises this by his devotional service. By staying there, you must realise how pure the environment is. The environment itself gives a high taste of consciousness. Rādhā-Dāmodara is there and the great ācāryas’ samādhis are there. There cannot be any other better place to live than at Rādhā-Dāmodara. This corner at the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple is just like the hub of the wheel of the spiritual world — it is the centre”
The above statement is by no means an exaggeration, a concoction or a speculation. It is indeed a paraphrased statement based on the deep realisations of Śrīla AC Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda as expressed to his intimate disciple Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, circa 1972.
Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu (later known as Bhakti Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu Mahārāja) was also a close friend and godbrother of mine, and on not less than three occasions he expressed the above to me during our conversations about Śrīla Prabhupāda and Prabhupāda’s rooms at the Rādhā-Dāmodara Temple as what Prabhupāda had spoken to him personally.
Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara Temple occupies a place near and dear in the hearts of all Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas. The temple is the residence of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara vigraha, the place of bhajana and samādhi of Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī and Śrī Rupa Gosvāmī, the samādhi of Bhūgarbha Gosvāmī and puṣpa-samādhis of numerous other Vaiṣṇavas in the paramparā of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda.
The compound of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara Temple also houses the residence and bhajana-kuṭīra of Śrīla Prabhupāda who has also stated, “I live eternally in my rooms at Rādhā-Dāmodara.”
No doubt these are deep and revealing statements by Śrīla Prabhupāda that will charm and enthuse the hearts of all his sincere followers and disciples. Contrary to the beliefs and speculations of some narrow-minded and unrealised persons, these statements are true to the smallest detail and can be experienced by those that approach the Super Subjective Reality at the Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara Temple with śraddhā and śaraṇāgati.
We are also happy to mention that the members and sannyāsīs of our humble mission [Śrī Narasiṅgha Caitanya Āśrama/Śrī Rūpānuga Bhajana Āśrama] also have their place of bhajana and service at the Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara Temple by the grace of Śrīla Prabhupāda and our revered ācāryas, Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Jīva.
As the holy śloka says:
śravaṇam kīrtanam dāmodara-bhajanam
scubbanam moppanam dāmodara-sevanam
“Hearing and chanting the glories of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara is our bhajana. Scrubbing and mopping is our service.” (Śrī Narasiṅgha-Saṁhitā)
Who is Qualified to Succeed the Ācārya?
This important article from 1939, published in the Gauḍīya magazine after the disappearance of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, consists of a series of questions and answers between a householder disciple of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja concerning guru-godbrother relations, succession, and guru-tattva. In the original Bengali, some sections of the article were given emphasis with bold text and we have maintained the same formatting in the English version. This article was translated into English by Swami B.V. Giri and Sanātana Dāsa. (Note: The title ‘Prabhupāda’ in this article refers to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura)
Lost Ancient Technology
In 'Lost Ancient Technology' Kalki Dasa argues that the technology of ancient civilisations such as Vedic India may have been more advanced than is currently believed, and that this idea has been dismissed by establishment science due to biases and a belief in linear evolution under the sway of Eurocentricism.
Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram with the Narasiṅgha Sevaka Commentary – Verses 37-40
In verses 37 to 40 of Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's travels to Prayāga and Vraja are described. In particular, His feelings of separation and the famous verse of Śri Mādhavendra Purīpāda are explained in detail by Swami B.V. Giri.
The Colour for Sannyāsīs
In this short article, ‘The Colour for Sannyāsīs’ from December 2010, Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāja describes the original colour of the cloth used by sannyāsīs in the line of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and how in modern times, this has become obsolete.
Who is Qualified to Succeed the Ācārya?
This important article from 1939, published in the Gauḍīya magazine after the disappearance of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, consists of a series of questions and answers between a householder disciple of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja concerning guru-godbrother relations, succession, and guru-tattva. In the original Bengali, some sections of the article were given emphasis with bold text and we have maintained the same formatting in the English version. This article was translated into English by Swami B.V. Giri and Sanātana Dāsa. (Note: The title ‘Prabhupāda’ in this article refers to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura)
Lost Ancient Technology
In 'Lost Ancient Technology' Kalki Dasa argues that the technology of ancient civilisations such as Vedic India may have been more advanced than is currently believed, and that this idea has been dismissed by establishment science due to biases and a belief in linear evolution under the sway of Eurocentricism.
Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram with the Narasiṅgha Sevaka Commentary – Verses 37-40
In verses 37 to 40 of Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's travels to Prayāga and Vraja are described. In particular, His feelings of separation and the famous verse of Śri Mādhavendra Purīpāda are explained in detail by Swami B.V. Giri.
The Colour for Sannyāsīs
In this short article, ‘The Colour for Sannyāsīs’ from December 2010, Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāja describes the original colour of the cloth used by sannyāsīs in the line of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and how in modern times, this has become obsolete.
