Swami Bon Maharaj

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Tridandi Swami Bhakti Hridaya Bon (Vana) Maharaj - 1901-1982

Swami Bon Maharaj was a successor Guru in the Gaudiya Math line of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, assuming that position after the disappearance of Sraman Maharaj and remained in that position until his passing in 1982. His lineage is Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya. His philosophy is Bhakti marg, especially Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Gaudiya Vaishnava theology. At the time of his passing he left behind thousands of Bengali disciples in India. His current successor is Swami Gopananda Bon Maharaj^[1]. Some reference books on Swami Bon's life are "On the path to Vaikuntha", "Viraha-vedana" (Bengali), and "Vaikunther Pathe" (Bengali), "My First Year in England", etc. He is noted for his translation into English of Sri Rupa Goswami's Sanskrit classic, Bhakti-Rasamrita-Sindhu^[2][3]; as also his educational activities in Vraja Mandala, a sacred area associated with Lord Krishna, located between Delhi and Agra in U.P., India. He is the Rector of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy in Vrindavana^[4][5], and Founder of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Academy in Nandagram, U.P., India^[6]. During his life Swami Bon is known to have initiated a few westerners, principal among them being Sadananda Swami, Swami Lalitananda^[7], and Ashim Krishna Das^[8]

[edit] His Early Life

Born Narendra Nath Mukherji in 1901 in East Bengal, the Gaudiya Vaishnava Brahmana son of Brahmarishi Rajanikanta, who was a Vedic scholar. Swami Bon Maharaj was a life-long celibate and as a brahmacari he joined Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and took initiation in the early 1900s.

Later, in 1924, at the age of 23, he was the third disciple to accept life-long Tridanda Sannyasa from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada and quickly became one of his leading preachers. He preached the message of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, delivering many lectures all over India, including at the Royal Albert Hall in Kolkata. He also established a new Gaudiya Math in Madras (now Chennai), and he organized successful theistic exhibitions in Kolkata and Dacca.

He was so successful as a preacher, introducing the message of Srila Sarasvati Prabhupada and Lord Chaitanya up to the highest levels of social and intellectual society of that time (during the British Raj) that he soon became known all over India.

Because of his good breeding and high education he was sent by his Guru, Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, to UK and Germany to preach. He took Lord Chaitanya's teachings to the very top of society (even being received in audience by H.M. The King of England) and gave many lectures throughout England and Europe. Swami Bon Maharaj converted two German gentlemen (Dr. E.G. Schulze Sadananda Swami and Baron Koeth) whom he brought back to his Guru, Srila Sarasvati Prabhupada, for initiation. He also established the Madras Gaudiya Math.

Swami Bon Maharaj reception of 100,000 people upon his return from UK. Pictured seated at far right is A.C. De, a Godbrother of Swami Bon Maharaj, who later became HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

In 1942, after the disappearance of his Guru, Srila Sarasvati Prabhupada, Swami Bon Maharaj voted for Swami Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj to be the next Acharya of the Gaudiya Math^[9].

[edit] His Tapasya

Swami Bon Maharaj went by foot on a solitary pilgrimage into the Himalayas for years of severe penances (described in his book, On the way to Vaikuntha). His vows were (1) not speaking to anyone, (2) eating only fruits and nuts off of trees, (3) sleeping bare bodied on the ground, and (4) not taking a single step without chanting the Maha-mantra. He journeyed 650 miles on foot and lived at the source of the Yamuna River under very severe circumstances. During these years alone Vana Maharaj describes in his Bengali book, Vaikunther-pathe, how he had vision darshan of his Gurudeva, who revealed to him his siddha-bhajan-pranali, and ordered him to go serve Sri Vrindavana-dhama.

Thereafter he retired in Vrindavana where he constructed a small bhajan-kutir on land donated to him. He also excavated an under-ground cave-room where he spent many years performing secluded bhajan (chanting in meditation).

[edit] His Later Life

By the age of 70 Swami Bon Maharaj had over one thousand initiated mostly Bengali and other Indian born disciples, out of which were 10 Tridandi Sannyasis (monks). In some East and West Bengali villages such as Vishnupur the entire populations, husbands, wives and children, were his disciples. Swami Bon lived in Vrindavana in his ashram, "Bhajan Kutir." He was active in attracting scholors and other people to Vraja Dham for theological studies, as well as creating a Post-Graduate College in Vrindavan, the Institute of Oriental Philosophy (Aff. University of Agra), where many local people received their education. He also founded the Sri Krishna Chaitainya Primary School in Nandagram in 1970, and he had ashrams in Vrindavan, Nandagram, and Kolkata. He spent much of his time associating with his close friends and Godbrothers, "bhajananandi" Krishnadas Babaji and Bhakti Shuddha Ashram Maharaj. He was close with all his Godbrothers, and eventually he was invited as head of the original Gaudiya Math previously run by HDG B.V. Tirtha Maharaj, including Sri Yogapith mandira in Mayapura, and all properties founded by Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. He remained in this bona fide acharya position until his passing.

[edit] His Sannyasis

He initiated the following 10 (Vaishnava) Tridandi Sannyasis (Monks):

• Srila Krishnananda Bon Maharaj , Former Acarya
• Srila Rashananda Bon Maharaj, Former Acarya
• Srila Rasikananda Bon Mahahraj, Forner Acharya
• Sripad Mohananda Bon Maharaj
• Sripad Sudhananda Bon Maharaj
• Sripad Syamananda Bon Mahraj
• Sripad Madhavananda Bon Maharaj
• Sripad Gopananda Bon Maharaj (Present Acarya)
• Sripad Kesavananda Bon Maharaj
• Sripad Satananda Bon Maharaj^[10]

[edit] His Books

During his life Swami Bon Maharaj wrote many books including his master-piece translation and commentary of Sri Rupa Goswami's Sanskrit classic, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu^[11]. Books by Swami Bon which have been published include the Gita As a Chaitanyite Reads It, Sri Chaitanya, Viraha-vedana, On the Way to Vaikuntha (Hindi & Bengali), and seven more books in German, English, Hindi and Bengali.

[edit] Service to Vraja Dham

Swami Bon Maharaj also served Vraja-dhama by offering the local people accredited education...

1) He built the Vaishnava Theological University (later became affiliated with the University of Agra as the Institute of Oriental Philosophy), in Vrindavana, where many Vraja-vasi's received BA, MA and Ph.D. degrees;

2) He also constructed the Sri Krishna Chaitanya Primary School next to Sanatana Goswami's bhajan-kutir in Nandagrama.

3) He also maintains Sri Sanatana Goswami's bhajan kutir in Nandagrama where many of his Godbrothers would stay, and even now this tirtha is still under the care of his disciples. It is also the sacred spot where Akinchan Krishnadas Babaji Maharaj has his samadhi (tomb).

4) His personal Math is called "bhajan kutir" in Vrindavana where he lived a quiet life with brahmacari and sannyasi disciples. Swami Bon Maharaj was always very strict with the four regulative principles, and he never acted or spoke sahajiya or fallen in any way; he was a fixed-up, life-long celibate sannyasi disciple of Srila Sarasvati Prabhupada who mostly performed private bhajan after returning from his tapasya, followed by educational activities in service of Vraja Dhama.

Many of Bhakti Siddhanta's leading disciples would often come to visit their Godbrother, Swami Bon Maharaj, in Vraja, including Srila Krishnadas Babaji Maharaj; he also went to visit his Godbrothers and his disciples in Bengal every couple years.

[edit] His Passing

Swami Bon Maharaj revealed his spiritual identity (svarupa siddhi) in his books, such as Vaikuntha Path Par" (Hindi & Bengali) in which his spiritual name is given as "Kunda Latika Manjari," with his eternal service always in Pratham yama nitya lila.

Swami Bon Maharaj left his body in the company of chanting disciples at 9:04 PM on July 7, 1982 at his Bhajan Kutir in Vrindavan, U.P. India. The facts about his passing are reported in the book "Supreme Divinity and Sad-guru" by Dr. Tapodhir Krishna Dastidar.

[edit] Reference

1. ^ Gopananda Bon Maharaj - Current direct successor of Swami Bon Maharaj and his Radha Govinda Trust, India. Retrieved on March 28, 2007.
2. ^ "Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu translation by Swami Bon Maharaj - Rector, IOP, Vrindavan. Text on-line. Retrieved on March 28, 2007.
3. ^ Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (Vol. 1).Sanskrit to English trans. Bhakti-Hridaya Bon. Vrindavan: Institute of Oriental Philosophy, 1965. Retrieved on February 16, 2007.
4. ^ The Education of Human Emotions by Klaus K. Klostermaier. Retrieved on February 16, 2007.
5. ^ Swami B. H. Bon Maharaj, the rector of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy in Vrindavan, India. Retrieved on February 16, 2007.
6. ^ Richard Shaw Brown (1997). Vraja-Rasa-Bindhu. 
7. ^ Lalitananda Vana (1971). Sri Bepin Sakhi Vilas. OCLC 31935694. 
8. ^ Allan A. Shairo - initiated by Swami Bon - 1971 Weblink. Retrieved on March 28, 2007.
9. ^ Swami Bon Maharaj Weblink. Retrieved on March 28, 2007.
10. ^ Ref Website.. Retrieved on January 30, 2007.
11. ^ "Ref to Swami Bon Maharaj - Rector, IOP, Vrindavan. UP, India. Retrieved on March 28, 2007.

[edit] Other References

http://bvml.org/SHBM/index.htm

http://www.wva-vvrs.org/pbook/pkb39.htm

Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhuh. by Sri Rupa Gosvami Review author[s]: Agehananda Bharati, The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 27, No. 2 (Feb., 1968), pp. 412-413 doi:10.2307/2051795

B. H. Bon Maharaj. IPC 18, 1973: 200261. ... 3.455: B. H. Bon Maharaj, 'Life and message ofSri Caitanya', IPC 17, 1972

jaar.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/XLI/2/296.pdf Comparative History of Religion by B.H. Bon

[edit] External link

• Further information on Swami Bon Maharaj