Overview
The following is the preface written by Śrīpāda Āraṇya Mahārāja to Gauranga Vani Publishers new book, 'Gītāmṛtam - The Nectar of Bhagavad-gītā' with illuminations by Śrīla Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja.
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto my initiating spiritual master, Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda who, out of his causeless mercy, dragged me out of this material world and showed me the authorised path to attain the highest goal of life, kṛṣṇa-prema. Let me also offer my respectful obeisances unto his dearmost friend and śikṣā-guru, Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja who, by his association, inspired Śrīla Prabhupāda Swami Mahārāja to present the great treatise Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, for the benefit of the entire human race.
The whole of the Mahābhārata culminates in the Battle of Kurukṣetra and the conversation between the Supreme Lord Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His dearmost friend and devotee Arjuna. It was Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja who presented Bhagavad-gītā in such a way as to give a deeper peep into that conversation, knowing that Kṛṣṇa’s topmost servitor and intimate counterpart Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, was waiting after many years of anticipation and intense separation from Her beloved, only to be denied the opportunity of union due to external circumstances.
From his inner inspiration which was revealed by the Lord, Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja explained the deep significance of the catur-ślokī (Chapter 10, Verses 8-11) that the Supreme Lord enunciated to Arjuna at a most intense time. Thus, through these verses, Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja has presented to the Vaiṣṇava community and theistic-minded persons the highest pinnacle of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava siddhānta, namely union in separation. In Kali-yuga Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to deliver that highest sentiment through His practical demonstration of nāma-saṅkīrtana and His discussions on rasa-tattva with Śrī Rāya Rāmānanda.
Just as Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja extracted all of these deep sentiments from the Gītā and presented them in His own treatise, The Hidden Treasure of the Sweet Absolute, similarly, we have extracted his nectarean teachings from the extensive treasure trove of his lectures on select verses of the Gītā and are presenting them in this book, Gītāmṛtam.
Tridaṇḍi-bhikṣu
Swami Bhakti Kiśora Āraṇya
How to get a copy of this book
Anyone looking to purchase a copy of this new publication “Gītāmrtam – The Nectar of Bhagavad-gītā” can contact Gaura Gopāla Dāsa: [email protected]
Related Articles and Books
- 📖 Bhagavad Gita – Swami B.G. Narasiṅgha Mahārāja’s Commentary (Book)
- 🎧 Bhagavad Gita Audiobook (Swami B.G. Narasingha Maharaja)
- ❔Bhagavad-gītā FAQs
- 📖 Bhagavad Gita As It Is – Original 1972 Macmillan Edition (Book)
- The Secret of the Lord’s Appearance According to the Gītā by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
- Introduction to the Bhagavad-gītā by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja
- The History of the Bhagavad-gītā by Swami B.V. Giri
Further Reading
Pilgrimage With Swami Narasiṅgha – Part 1: Imlitalā
This is the first part in a series of articles for Krishna Talk where Śrīla B.G. Narasiṅgha Mahārāja talks about various holy places. Our first article begins with the pastimes and philosophical significance of Imlitalā. This article was adapted from a number of talks that Mahārāja gave in the 1990s.
The Disappearance of a Śaktyāveśa-avatāra
The following article is based upon a talk by Śrīla B.G. Narasiṅgha Mahārāja given in 1998. Mahārāja discusses Śrīla Prabhupāda’s position as a śaktyāveśa-avatāra (empowered incarnation) of Nityānanda Prabhu and connects this to his withdrawal from this mortal world in 1977.
A Devotee is the Epitome of Truth (Sajjana – Satya-sāra)
Sajjana – Satya-sāra (A Devotee is the Epitome of Truth) was written by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda and published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 20, Issue 4 in 1917. Continuing with his elaboration on the twenty-six qualities of a devotee, Sarasvatī Ṭhākura discusses what is relative and absolute truth.
‘The Avatāra’ Biṣakiṣen
This article was first published in 1897 in Sajjana Toṣaṇī Vol.8, Issues 6, 7, 8 and 11 and was written by Śrī Nitya Sakha Mukhopadhyāya, an associate of Bhaktivinoda Thakura who lived in Balasore, Orissa. In his autobiographical letter, ‘Svalikhita Jīvanī, ’Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wrote about this famous event wherein he brought a bogus avatāra to justice in 1871. However this account by Nitya Sakha Mukhopadhyāya is undoubtedly the most detailed version of the incident. It is not known whether the author was personally present or if Bhaktivinoda himself had narrated it to him in detail. Throughout the article, the author refers to Bhaktivinoda as ‘Deputy Babu’ denoting his government position as the Deputy Magistrate of Jagannātha Purī. It is possible that, out of humility, the Ṭhākura had requested the author not to mention his name.
Pilgrimage With Swami Narasiṅgha – Part 1: Imlitalā
This is the first part in a series of articles for Krishna Talk where Śrīla B.G. Narasiṅgha Mahārāja talks about various holy places. Our first article begins with the pastimes and philosophical significance of Imlitalā. This article was adapted from a number of talks that Mahārāja gave in the 1990s.
The Disappearance of a Śaktyāveśa-avatāra
The following article is based upon a talk by Śrīla B.G. Narasiṅgha Mahārāja given in 1998. Mahārāja discusses Śrīla Prabhupāda’s position as a śaktyāveśa-avatāra (empowered incarnation) of Nityānanda Prabhu and connects this to his withdrawal from this mortal world in 1977.
A Devotee is the Epitome of Truth (Sajjana – Satya-sāra)
Sajjana – Satya-sāra (A Devotee is the Epitome of Truth) was written by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda and published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 20, Issue 4 in 1917. Continuing with his elaboration on the twenty-six qualities of a devotee, Sarasvatī Ṭhākura discusses what is relative and absolute truth.
A Rūpānuga’s Constant Meditation Concerning Śrī Ratha Yātrā
This article, ‘Śrī Ratha Yātrāya Śrī Rūpānugānucintana,’ by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja, was first published in Śrī Gauḍīya Darśana magazine, Vol. 13, issue 1 in August 1969 the name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Govinda Dāsa Adhikārī Bhakti-kovinda, and was written in response to certain maṭhas performing Ratha Yātrā in the dhāma.