10/08/2025
We are feeling the loss and honoring the departure of Sripad Bhakti Madhava Puri Maharaja, Ph.D. who withdrew from this mortal world on 3 October, Ekadashi, @11 PM ET (Eastern Time) USA.
B.M. Puri Maharaj, Ph.D. earned his undergraduate degree at Rutgers University and completed a Masters and Ph.D. in Theoretical Chemistry from Georgetown University in 1970. After completing postdoc work with the National Bureau of Standards in Washington D.C., Dr. Puri moved on to rigorous study and practice of the Bhagavat Vedantic philosophy and Bhakti yoga.
He was one of the five founding charter members of the original Bhaktivedanta Institute in 1976, and became the Regional Director of the office in Juhu, Mumbai, India for a number of years. After diving deeper into the study of the philosophical relation between Bhagavat Vedanta and Hegel’s Conceptual Realism, Dr. Puri returned to the United States in the 1990’s. He opened the Princeton BVISCS in 2012. https://bviscs.org/
Puri Maharaj came to the lotus feet of Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj and Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj of the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math @1980, following the instruction of Srila Bhakti Vedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupada, and continued to dedicate his life to these three great souls until his last breath.
Following is a beautiful dedication to an English article "The Ultimate Necessity of Sadhu Sanga" by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada written by Puri Maharaj on 21 Dec. 2002:https://www.mahaprabhu.net/ebooks/unss.pdf
On the auspicious occasion of the Seventy Third Anniversary of his Divine Appearance this e-publication is humbly and affectionately dedicated to Sri Chaitanya-Saraswat Math Acharya and Sevaite President, Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharyya Sri Srimad Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaja.
When the transcendental "yes" man meets the teacher of "surrender is not a lip transaction" as his Gurudeva, who is following in the line of Sri Chaitanya-Saraswat, - at that time the divine personality of Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaja becomes manifest in this world. Born with this naturally humble disposition he would likewise always speak the truth. These two qualities, humility and truthfulness, along with learning are the natural characteristics of a genuine brahmana and are the chief features of a paramahamsa who possess true intelligence and knows the conclusions of all the scriptures. These are the qualities that were manifested in Srila Govinda Maharaja from his early childhood.
As Srila Govinda Maharaja described his own nature:
“If I was ordered to do anything I would immediately say ‘Yes.’ Even without fully hearing the order I would immediately agree to it; that was my nature. If the question would come, ‘Can you do it?’ I would always immediately tell ‘Yes.’ I did not like the word ‘No.’ So when Srila Guru Maharaj asked, ‘Can you follow me?’ I said, ‘Yes, I shall do anything you instruct.’ Then Srila Guru Maharaj said, ‘First you try to follow this one instruction of mine.’ I replied, ‘Please, Maharaj, say what that instruction is.’ He replied, ‘Do not listen to your mind, but hear from me. What I shall order, you are to follow that. Can you do that?’ ‘Yes!’”
Therefore, from the beginning Govinda Maharaja accepted Srila Guru Maharaja wholeheartedly, and reciprocally Guru Maharaja accepted Srila Govinda Maharaja wholeheartedly. We may all be familiar with Srila Guru Maharaja's teaching:
“Surrender is not a lip transaction. Surrender means not only to surrender one's possessions, but to realize that the possessions themselves are false. I am not a master of anything. I am not even master of myself. Surrender means to give everything to the Guru, and rid ourselves of the unholy connection of so many possessions, so that they may not disturb us by always suggesting, ‘You are my master,’ and in this way misleading us.”
Srila Guru Maharaja could recognize that Govinda Maharaja was qualified to be able to carry out this instruction, and therefore, from the very beginning of their relation, declared him to be his successor Acharya. Guru Maharaja knew well and always taught us that the essence of bhakti is based upon sharanagati, surrender, without which there is no genuine bhakti or dedication, even if there may seem to be some external show. Only sincere dedication is the real qualification. Such type of devotion he found in the heart of Srila Govinda Maharaja.
In early 1980 when some of us came from ISKCON seeking the shelter of Srila Sridhara Maharaja's lotus feet, we were attracted and charmed by the sweet nectar flowing from the lotus lips of Srila Guru Maharaja. Yet because we were very shy about going outside of ISKCON and very inexperienced, it was really Srila Govinda Maharaja's humble affection that kept us coming back and led eventually to our staying at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. He made us feel that we had a real home there -he was very kind. By this experience we could also realize how sweetly his Divine Master must have relished his service. The devotees of the Math showed the same kind of selfless service to all the lost souls that came to the Math. Truly we felt ourselves to have found the transcendental land of loving service there. Later we learned that Srila Govinda Maharaja had made a pact with Srila Guru Maharaja: if Guru Maharaja would instruct us then Govinda Maharaja would take care of us.
Often the devotees honored prasadam together with Srila Govinda Maharaja, while sitting on the verandah under Srila Guru Maharaja's lotus feet. There was a mongoose in the Math who loved Govinda Maharaja so much that one day while we were taking prasad he scampered behind the devotees, without touching anyone, and climbed over the shoulders of Govinda Maharaja. Srila Maharaja was always kind and loving to all the animals, and even the trees, etc. Then how could he not be kind to those like us who had the intelligence of animals?
Lord Siva is known as Pashupatinath, the Lord and kind protector of the animals and the lower creatures. He is also described in the Srimad Bhagavatam as the best devotee of Lord Krishna, vaisnavanam yatah sambhu (S. Bhag. 12.13.16). Sambhu is another name of Lord Siva. In Vrndavan there is the temple of Lord Siva where he is called Gopeswara, the Lord of the Gopies. The Gopies worshipped Siva, not for any material benefit, but for the service of Krishna. Srila Govinda Maharaja always had a special regard for Lord Siva from his childhood in Bamumpara, the village where he was born, and when Srila Guru Maharaja was stricken with very bad headaches, Srila Govinda Maharaja prayed to Lord Siva to bring a remedy for him.
Lord Siva is so kind he gives his mercy to the lowest creatures like ghosts, etc. Srila Maharaja is also very kind to the fallen and downtrodden, never seeing any difference in them by dint of his wonderful humility, love and renunciation of false egoistic tendency that is usually found especially among the smarta brahmana class. A vaisnava is higher than a brahmana. Greatness couched in humility -- that, as Guru Maharaja said, is the quality of the Vraja-lila devotees. One may have to examine them carefully in order to pe*****te beyond the apparently ordinary facade to discover the wonderful hidden treasure that actually lies therein. "Dive deep into reality," as Guru Maharaja often reminded us. The hamsa or swan dives deep into the water, entwines his neck within the stems of the lotus flowers to retrieve the nectar. Then he returns to the surface and pushes out the undesirable water from his mouth to swallow only what is relishable. The topmost devotee of the Lord has a similar power of discrimination (sar grahi) always seeking the divine essence in this world, and is therefore called a paramahamsa, the topmost swan-like devotee. Lord Siva, as the greatest paramahamsa, easily awards benediction to all those who worship Him because he only sees their good side-- that they have come to worship Him--and does not consider what their motivation may be.
Srila Govinda Maharaja was reluctant to cut down a mango tree that was growing in the place where he planned to build the samadhi mandir for Srila Guru Maharaja because he considered all the trees there to be sacred friends whom he would often bid adieu whenever he left the Math in the course of his duties. Then one day that tree left its body of its own accord so that Srila Govinda Maharaja could have it removed for the glorious service of Srila Guru Maharaja. Such degree of sacrifice -- even to give up one's own precious life in order to make room for what is to come -- this is the high standard that is found in the holy abode of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, which is now magnanimously spreading its branches throughout the world. We can only bow our heads and offer our heart's complete dedication and service to the noble ideal we find there in a living form.
Sometimes Govinda Maharaja would invite the sannyasis and other devotees to take prasada with him on the verandah of his own quarters at the Math. Happily, like joyful comrades, we would relish the association of the devotees as we honored the tasty remnants of Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga-Gandharvva-Govindasundarjiu's nectarean repast. Such simple memories remain forever etched in the world-weary minds and too-oft broken hearts of the sojourners of this martya-loka- the plane of birth, death, old age and disease.
We were all happy when Srila Guru Maharaja appointed Srila Govinda Maharaja as his successor. To the end, the highest degree of dedication and service to his Gurudeva was found in the inimitable personality of Srila Govindadeva. No ordinary person can perform the activities of such a surrendered soul, just as no ordinary person can perform the activity of drinking poison like Nila-kanta, Lord Siva. We offer our repeated koti-dandavat pranams to the lotus feet of such eternally surrendered and thereby completely liberated souls, and pray for their grace in our lives.
Srila Guru Maharaja often mentioned the name of Hegel to us. He said that what Hegel presented formed a philosophical basis (but only the basis) of Vaisnavism. Hegel gave much honor and respect to the scientist-poet named Goethe, whom Hegel regarded as a life-long friend. He was especially impressed with Goethe's statement that: "There is no remedy but Love against the great superiorities of others." He considered this to be a good expression to remember whenever envy, which is incapable of any great action of its own, tries to bring greatness down to its own level. In every situation, we find that "Love conquers over all" is the mightiest verity. It even applies in our relationship with God. As our most magnanimous and dearly beloved Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada commented, prayena 'jito jita py asi, even the unconquerable Lord, Ajita, can be conquered (jita) by love. The Lord Himself becomes His devotees' devotee (bhakta-vatsala) -- His devotee's friend, servant, lover, etc. because that is the only way to reciprocate the intense love that is felt in the devotee's heart for Him. This is the constant goal of a devotee's life - Krishna prema.
We can practically strive for that goal by the association of a pure devotee who is constantly engaged in that sort of life. Srila Narottam das Thakura tells us, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba, without being a devotee of a devotee we cannot get release from material entanglement. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Himself, by His own example taught gopi bartuh kamalyaor dasa dasanudasah, so that He considered Himself to be the servant of the servants of the gopies. Krishna, Himself, felt conquered by the gopies because He could not repay them for their complete surrender and the unconditional love they had for Him. Krishna is defeated by His devotee, and therefore, in that sense, His devotee is greater than Himself.
Some people may think that the highest Ideal is something far too excellent to have actuality. This divorce of the Ideal from the Real is dear to the analytic understanding that always looks upon its abstractions, empty as they are, as what is most real and true. But as Guru Maharaja said, "the Ideal is the Real"-this is the Hegelian philosophy- "Ideal Realism." This means that we may only come to practical realization of the highest Ideal of surrender and service in the company of the devotees, at the lotus feet of Sri Gurudeva. Knowledge of God is not simply theoretical; it is also practical. It is this kind of full-fledged theism that is found in Vaisnavism. By the grace of our kind guardians this message is being spread throughout the world so that all may come to worship at the lotus feet of Gurudeva, and with great humility and honor to him, humbly offer service for his pleasure and satisfaction.
Sri Giriraja is now calling upon Srila Govinda Maharaja to relish his loving service in Govardhana after his many years of faithful service in Gupta-Govardhana of Navbadwip. It is only by the mercy of the Spiritual Master that we may attain the service of Krishna. yasaya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah, declares Srila Visvanath Chakravarti - by the mercy of the spiritual master one gets Krishna's mercy. For the conditioned soul such progress may seem to be in the negative direction (toward more humility and more surrender). This is the progress of "die to live," as Guru Maharaja so often reminded us. In that spirit we faithfully persevere in the great hope of attaining a drop of mercy for the opportunity to be able to engage even in some insignificant divine service, the only means by which true satisfaction may come to our hearts.
One day Srila Guru Maharaja called Srila Govinda Maharaja from Calcutta to take up his post as a sannyasa in preparation for becoming the successor Acharya. Upon arriving at the Math that day, Srila Maharaja very humbly remarked that he was "only the waste-basket of the Math." Remembering that, I consider my own position to be simply the waste of the Math eagerly looking to find shelter in that divine basket.
It is only by the grace of Srila Govinda Maharaja, Srila Sridhara Maharaja, Srila Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, Srila Krishna das Kaviraja, Srila Rupa Goswami and Sri Chaitanyadeva, and so many other devotees, that it is possible to render any service to the Lord. What a great blessing it is to have their association in our life.
sadhu sanga sadhu sanga
sarva sastra kaya
lava matra sadhu sanga
sarva siddhi haya
When the scriptures declare something three times, it means that it is time to sit up and take special notice. All the sastras declare the ultimate necessity of sadhu sanga, the holy association of the devotees. Even if one has such association for only a moment (lava matra), one will achieve all perfection. Therefore it is very important to understand who is a sadhu. Srila Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada taught that sadhu means "mayy ananyena bhavena bhaktim kurvanti ye drdham. He is sadhu - not just anyone wearing saffron cloth and having long beard. That is not sadhu. Sadhu means devotee of the Lord. That is the first qualification."l
In the Bhagavad-gita 9.30 Krishna says, api cet suduracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak-the devotee is free from all faults because he is wholeheartedly serving the Lord. This exclusive service is mayy ananyena bhavena. Thus ananya-bhava or ananya-bhak, unflinching faith, single-minded dedication, or exclusive devotion without deviation toward other concerns, is the main characteristic of a sadhu. Such dedication is the chief qualification of the genuine sadhu who will never exploit or cheat us. When Srila Rupa Goswami summarizes the whole science of bhakti in two sentences: "Always remember Krishna. Never forget Him," the essential point that is made is the complete absorption of the mind in Krishna. This can never be artificially contrived but comes naturally as a result out of genuine love for Krishna. Still we must recognize that remembrance of Krishna, the energetic source, does not mean that we may forget his Energy (shakti), Sri Radha Thakurani, or His devotees. In the sahajiya section -- those who take everything very easily or cheaply -- they are actually cheated because they get only the abstract conception of God by not worshipping His shakti, His devotee. When exclusive devotion for Krishna's pure devotee awakens, then we find the full-fledged sadhu and pure devotion - sudha bhakti.
To always have in our life the divine association of our worshipable Acharya, Sri Gurudeva, is all we pray for. Only through his grace will our life become purified.
May this fallen soul kindly be forgiven for any omissions or transgressions in this humble offering.
Tridandi Bhiksu Bhakti Madhava Puri
Dec 21, 2002
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