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<P align="center"><font color="660000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sridhara
Maharaja — The Divine Life History of Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Deva
Goswami Maharaja</font></P>
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<P><img src="../../graphics/sridhara_mj.jpg" alt="Sridhara Maharaja" width="162" height="236" hspace="22" border="1" align="left">Srila
Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Deva Goswami Maharaja, affectionately known as Srila
Guru Maharaja, was born in Hapaniya, West Bengal, India in 1895. His pastimes
of youth were spent in learning and he naturally excelled in every subject that
he took up. From very childhood Srila Sridhara Maharaja's tendency was towards
the culture of the orthodox section, the Vedas, Upanisads, etc.—faith
in God and all such things. He received his sacred thread in the family tradition
when he was fourteen years old and his affinity for the divine world kept on
increasing. In his early years Srila Guru Maharaja was especially attracted
to Lord Ramachandra. Later, when he came in contact with the doctrine of Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he began to read Bhagavad-gita and developed an attraction
toward Lord Krishna.</P>
<P> After completing his primary and secondary education he entered Krishnanath
College at Baharampur [District Mushirabad], Bengal. In his fourth year of studies
he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy. </P>
<P> For some time Srila Guru Maharaj was searching for a sadhu from who he could
take initiation, but he could not find anyone to his liking. Then by the grace
of the Almighty he met his eternal guide and preceptor Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati Thakura and in 1927 he became an initiated disciple.</P>
<P> In 1930 Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura awarded him sannyasa and bestowed
upon him the name Bhakti Raksaka meaning “guardian of devotion.”
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura saw in him the ability to perfectly protect
the Gaudiya Vaishnava line from misrepresentation and misconception. </P>
<P> After reading Srila Guru Maharajas Sanskrit compositions glorifying Bhaktivinode
Thakura, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura remarked, “Now I am satisfied
that, after I leave, there will be at least one man who can represent my conclusions
(<i>bhakti-siddhanta</i>).”</P>
<P> Sometime after the passing away of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura in 1936,
Srila Guru Maharaj established his own temple, Sri Caitanya Saraswata Math,
on the banks of the sacred Ganges in Navadwipa Dhama, the holy land of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. </P>
<P> Having deeply assimilated the teachings of Sri Caitanya, Srila Guru Maharaj
began composing original texts. His first work, <i>Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamrta,</i>
was a comprehensive scriptural study of <i>saranagati</i> (surrender). Srila
Guru Maharaj composed numerous songs, prayers, and commentaries in Bengali and
Sanskrit. </P>
<P> Among these important works are his commentaries on Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s
<i>Saranagati,</i> Bengali translations of<i> Bhagavad-gita</i> and <i>Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,</i>
and his own original Sanskrit poem summarizing Caitanya-lila,<i> Prema-dhama-deva-stotram.</i>
An outstanding contribution to the Rupanuga Gaudiya Sampradaya is Srila Guru
Maharajas commentary on <i>gayatri mantra</i> in the line of <i>Srimad Bhagavatam,
Sri Gayatri Nigudartha.</i></P>
<P> At an advanced age, in his fully matured stage of realization, Srila Guru
Maharaj spoke extensively on the teachings of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura,
and the great predecessor <i>acaryas. </i>Those talks were recorded on audio/video
and transcribed and continue to be published by Sri Caitanya Saraswata Matha
and by Srila Guru Maharajas many followers and admirers. </P>
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