Srila Bishnu Maharaja's lecture transcriptions
Biografía de Srila Bhakti Vichar Bishnu Maharaja
Biography of Srila Bhakti Vichar Bishnu Maharaja
His Birth and Early Life
Srila Bishnu Maharaj took birth in a pure Vaishnava family on September 10, 1956 on the auspicious tithi of Lalita sashti, the appearance day of Sri Lalita Devi, in the village Aliabad of the Ganjam District in the state of Orissa, India. His parents gave him the name Abhimanyu. His father's name was Khali Shyama Das, and his mother's name Chandramani dd. They were Vaishnava disciples of Babaji Radhacharan das Maharaj. His early studies and interests included earning a Sanskrit degree, spiritual arts of Vaishnava puja, study of Puranas, sadhusanga, practice of kirtan, and devotional music. His father was a sankirtan master. During his youth he was fortunate to meet, serve and receive blessings of many babajis, mahantas, yogis and sadhus.
Meeting of His Gurudeva, Initiation and Studies
Before meeting his spiritual master Om Vishnupada 108 Sri Srimad Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaj, a disciple of Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakur, in 1978 he associated with devotees of his Gurudeva and another disciple of Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Nitya-lila pravista Nityananda Goswami Maharaj in Brahmapur, Orissa, who also belonged to Sri Krishna Caitanya Mission. In 1979 Srila Bishnu Maharaj joined the Math and took Harinama and Diksha from Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaj. His brahmacari name was Ananta Krishna das brahmacari. He has deeply studied and assimilated prominent Gaudiya scriptures including Bhagavad-gita (which he has memorized in its entirety), Srimad Bhagavatam, including the commentary of Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakur, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Sat Sandarbha of Jiva Goswami, much of the other Goswami literature, Ramayana, Mahabharata, other Puranas, and Upanishads.
Maharaja Takes Sannyasa
Maharaja took sannyasa in 1984 from His Divine Grace Nitya Lila Pravista Bhakti Jivan Janardan Goswami Maharaj, a disciple of Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura at the Puri Ashram of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mission in the presence of his Gurudeva, His Divine Grace Nitya Lila Pravishta Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Goswami Maharaja, and other Guruvargas.
Temples and Functions
Maharaja was one of the original leaders of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission temples in Digapahandi, Vrindavan, Berhampur, and Mayapur. The Dighapahandi, Berhampur and Mayapur temples are still under his attentive guidance. Maharaja serves as the global coordinator and one of the original members of the World Vaishnava Association, and is serving as the Vice president since in 2004. Maharaja is one of the present Acharyas of the Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission and has established the International Krishna Chaitanya Mission which, under his guidance and inspiration is preaching and opening centers in countries all over the world.
Sadhu Sanga and Service to Vaishnavas
Srila Bishnu Maharaj has had the great fortune to associate with and serve many great Vaishnavas and leading Vaishnava Acharyas. He was fortunate to receive blessings and association with Nitya-lila pravista Bhakti Vigyan Nityananda Goswami Maharaj, His Divine Grace Nitya-lila pravista Bhakti Jivan Janardan Maharaj, Nitya-lila pravista Sripad Ananda Lilamaya das prabhu, His Divine Grace Nitya-lila pravista B. P. Puri Goswami Maharaj, His Divine Grace B.K. Santha Goswami Maharaj, and many other disciples and followers of Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura like His Divine Grace Nitya-lila pravista Baman Goswami Maharaj, His Divine Grace Nitya-lila pravista Bhaktidayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj, His Divine Grace Nitya-lila pravista Bhakti Gourav Vaikhanasa Goswami Maharaj, and His Divine Grace Nitya-lila pravista Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaj. He maintains loving Vaishnava relationships with Acharyas of all other Vaishnava institutions like, GOKUL, the institution guided by His Divine Grace Bhakti Ballabha Teertha Goswami Maharaj, the current President of the World Vaishnava Association. Presently he spends the majority of his time traveling and preaching in a non-sectarian, non-political mood of purely and respectfully encouraging devotees of all the many sangas that have grown up around the world by the grace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and our previous Gaudiya Vaishnava Acharyas.
Preaching and World Travel
Srila Bishnu Maharaj has always been an enthusiastic preacher and considers it his life’s work to preach and carefully explain pure Krishna bhakti, devotion to Sri Guru, service to Vaishnavas, and Gaudiya siddhanta for the benefit of audiences around the world so that they may be blessed to accept the shelter of spiritual life. In order to fulfill the great missionary desire of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Maharaja began his travels outside of India for the first time in 1995, when he journeyed to Thailand. Then in 1997 he traveled with his Gurudev, Srila B. V. Puri Maharaja, to Europe, and then to America in 2001 and again in 2002. Presently he is traveling non-stop all over Asia, America, Mexico, Australia, and in Italy, Spain, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Germany, Hungary and England. When he is not traveling internationally he travels in India overseeing temples and, as he is fluent in many regional Indian languages, easily communicates the message of Mahaprabhu wherever he is speaking.
After the disappearance of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaja, His Holiness Srila Bhakti Vichar Bishnu Maharaja, on his gurudeva’s order, accepted the sacred service of Acharya and initiating guru of the Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission.
Srila Bishnu Maharaj took birth in a pure Vaishnava family on September 10, 1956 on the auspicious tithi of Lalita sashti, the appearance day of Sri Lalita Devi, in the village Aliabad of the Ganjam District in the state of Orissa, India. His parents gave him the name Abhimanyu. His father's name was Khali Shyama Das, and his mother's name Chandramani dd. They were Vaishnava disciples of Babaji Radhacharan das Maharaj. His early studies and interests included earning a Sanskrit degree, spiritual arts of Vaishnava puja, study of Puranas, sadhusanga, practice of kirtan, and devotional music. His father was a sankirtan master. During his youth he was fortunate to meet, serve and receive blessings of many babajis, mahantas, yogis and sadhus.
Meeting of His Gurudeva, Initiation and Studies
Before meeting his spiritual master Om Vishnupada 108 Sri Srimad Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaj, a disciple of Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakur, in 1978 he associated with devotees of his Gurudeva and another disciple of Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Nitya-lila pravista Nityananda Goswami Maharaj in Brahmapur, Orissa, who also belonged to Sri Krishna Caitanya Mission. In 1979 Srila Bishnu Maharaj joined the Math and took Harinama and Diksha from Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaj. His brahmacari name was Ananta Krishna das brahmacari. He has deeply studied and assimilated prominent Gaudiya scriptures including Bhagavad-gita (which he has memorized in its entirety), Srimad Bhagavatam, including the commentary of Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakur, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Sat Sandarbha of Jiva Goswami, much of the other Goswami literature, Ramayana, Mahabharata, other Puranas, and Upanishads.
Maharaja Takes Sannyasa
Maharaja took sannyasa in 1984 from His Divine Grace Nitya Lila Pravista Bhakti Jivan Janardan Goswami Maharaj, a disciple of Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura at the Puri Ashram of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mission in the presence of his Gurudeva, His Divine Grace Nitya Lila Pravishta Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Goswami Maharaja, and other Guruvargas.
Temples and Functions
Maharaja was one of the original leaders of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission temples in Digapahandi, Vrindavan, Berhampur, and Mayapur. The Dighapahandi, Berhampur and Mayapur temples are still under his attentive guidance. Maharaja serves as the global coordinator and one of the original members of the World Vaishnava Association, and is serving as the Vice president since in 2004. Maharaja is one of the present Acharyas of the Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission and has established the International Krishna Chaitanya Mission which, under his guidance and inspiration is preaching and opening centers in countries all over the world.
Sadhu Sanga and Service to Vaishnavas
Srila Bishnu Maharaj has had the great fortune to associate with and serve many great Vaishnavas and leading Vaishnava Acharyas. He was fortunate to receive blessings and association with Nitya-lila pravista Bhakti Vigyan Nityananda Goswami Maharaj, His Divine Grace Nitya-lila pravista Bhakti Jivan Janardan Maharaj, Nitya-lila pravista Sripad Ananda Lilamaya das prabhu, His Divine Grace Nitya-lila pravista B. P. Puri Goswami Maharaj, His Divine Grace B.K. Santha Goswami Maharaj, and many other disciples and followers of Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura like His Divine Grace Nitya-lila pravista Baman Goswami Maharaj, His Divine Grace Nitya-lila pravista Bhaktidayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj, His Divine Grace Nitya-lila pravista Bhakti Gourav Vaikhanasa Goswami Maharaj, and His Divine Grace Nitya-lila pravista Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaj. He maintains loving Vaishnava relationships with Acharyas of all other Vaishnava institutions like, GOKUL, the institution guided by His Divine Grace Bhakti Ballabha Teertha Goswami Maharaj, the current President of the World Vaishnava Association. Presently he spends the majority of his time traveling and preaching in a non-sectarian, non-political mood of purely and respectfully encouraging devotees of all the many sangas that have grown up around the world by the grace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and our previous Gaudiya Vaishnava Acharyas.
Preaching and World Travel
Srila Bishnu Maharaj has always been an enthusiastic preacher and considers it his life’s work to preach and carefully explain pure Krishna bhakti, devotion to Sri Guru, service to Vaishnavas, and Gaudiya siddhanta for the benefit of audiences around the world so that they may be blessed to accept the shelter of spiritual life. In order to fulfill the great missionary desire of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Maharaja began his travels outside of India for the first time in 1995, when he journeyed to Thailand. Then in 1997 he traveled with his Gurudev, Srila B. V. Puri Maharaja, to Europe, and then to America in 2001 and again in 2002. Presently he is traveling non-stop all over Asia, America, Mexico, Australia, and in Italy, Spain, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Germany, Hungary and England. When he is not traveling internationally he travels in India overseeing temples and, as he is fluent in many regional Indian languages, easily communicates the message of Mahaprabhu wherever he is speaking.
After the disappearance of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaja, His Holiness Srila Bhakti Vichar Bishnu Maharaja, on his gurudeva’s order, accepted the sacred service of Acharya and initiating guru of the Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission.