Many years after Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada disappeared from this world, he appeared to my Gurudeva in a dream and gave him sannyasa. This happened three times. He would say, “Oh Vinoda, you have not taken sannyasa, and therefore my preaching has completely stopped.” He gave Gurudeva sannyasa three times in dream. Later, that sannyasa was formalized by Sri Srimad Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja in Katva. Note: His sannyasa name became Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Goswami Maharaj
What was the speciality of my Gurudeva?
He was very philosophical, with complete knowledge of all the sastra, and at the same time he was also a great rasika (relisher of ecstatic love of Krsna, and knower of all rasas) Vaisnava.
Without these two qualities he could not have composed astakams (devotional poetry consisting of eight verses) like this one: radha-cinta-nivesena yasya kantir vilopitasri-krsna-caranam vande radhalingita-vigraham
[“I worship the lotus feet of that form of Sri Krsna, when, due to being thoroughly immersed in separation from Srimati Radhika (who is displaying mana, her mood of jealous anger), His own dark complexion vanishes and He assumes Her bright, golden luster; or, I worship the lotus feet of Sri Krsna as He is embraced by Srimati Radhika (after Her mana has broken)” (Sri Radha-Vinoda-Vihari-Tattvastakam, verse 1)]
All his writings were very poetic, and completely in the line of Srila Rupa Gosvami. He reveals here how after Krsna took Srimati Radhika to Srngara-vata, He then disappeared due to fear of the other gopis. In separation from Srimati Radhika, He then came to Imlitala where, being completely absorbed in Her, He manifested the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Although Sri Krsna's form remained, His complexion and the moods were completely Radhika’s.
How wonderful is my Gurudeva’s mangala-arati song: “mangala sri guru-gaura mangala murati – Glories to the auspicious forms of Sri Guru and Gaura.” (Mangala Arati, verse 1) This song is the essence of the books Sri Govinda-lilamrta and Sri Krsna-bhavanamrta. In essence, the mangala-a rati pastime is described there. When my Gurudeva wrote this mangala-arati song, I was very new. I did not know anything. Therefore, when he showed me that composition and asked, “Do you like it?” I said, “Oh
it seems very long. The poems of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura are very short.” At that time none of the devotees in the Matha knew very much about the pastimes of Radha and Krsna. Still, my Gurudeva gave Radha-Krsna’s asta-kaliya-lila. At that time, at the end of the night, Lalita, Visakha and the other gopis are looking to see: “Are They awake yet?” And Vrnda-devi is making all arrangements for the pastimes of the Divine Couple.
it seems very long. The poems of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura are very short.” At that time none of the devotees in the Matha knew very much about the pastimes of Radha and Krsna. Still, my Gurudeva gave Radha-Krsna’s asta-kaliya-lila. At that time, at the end of the night, Lalita, Visakha and the other gopis are looking to see: “Are They awake yet?” And Vrnda-devi is making all arrangements for the pastimes of the Divine Couple. Despite his being very rasika, if someone would say anything against his Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, my Gurudeva would become like a thunderbolt.
