by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja
Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana writes in Sri Prameya-ratnavali (1.7):
sri-krsna-brahma-devarsi-
badarayana-samjnakan
sri-madhva-sri-padmanabha
sriman-nrhari-madhavan
aksobhya-jayatirthasri-
jnanasindhu-dayanidhin
sri-vidyanidhi-rajendra
jayadharman kramad vayam
purusottama-brahmanya
vyasatirthams ca samstumah
tato laksmipatim sriman
madhavendras ca bhaktitah
tac-chisyan srisvaradvaita
nityanandan jagad-gurum
devam isvara-sisyam
sri-caitanyam ca bhajamahe
sri-krsna-prema-danena
yena nistaritam jagat
With great devotion we glorify the succession of spiritual masters in the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya. A list of their names follows:
1. Svayam Bhagavan Sri Krishna
2. Sri Brahma
3. Sri Narada
4. Srila Vyasadeva
5. Sri Madhvacarya (Sri Anandatirtha)
6. Sri Padmanabhatirtha
7. Sri Nrharitirtha
8. Sri Madhavatirtha
9. Sri Aksobhyatirtha
10. Sri Jayatirtha
11. Sri Jnanasindhu
12. Sri Dayanidhi
13. Sri Vidyanidhi (Sri Vidyadhirajatirtha)
14. Sri Rajendratirtha
15. Sri Jayadharma (Sri Vijayadhvajatirtha)
16. Sri Purusottamatirtha
17. Sri Brahmanyatirtha (Sri Subrahmanyatirtha)
18. Sri Vyasatirtha
19. Sri Laksmipatitirtha
20. Sri Madhavendra Puri
21. Sri Isvara Puri, Sri Advaita Acarya and
Sri Nityananda Prabhu (who were disciples
of Sri Madhavendra Puri)
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the disciple of Sri Isvara Puri. He is the object of our loving devotional service and He liberated the entire universe by giving the treasure of sri krsnaprema to everyone.
krsna haite catur-mukha, haya krsna-sevonmukha,
brahma haite naradera mati
narada haite vyasa, madhva kahe vyasa dasa,
purnaprajna padmanabha-gati (1)
In the beginning of creation, Sri Krishna spoke the transcendental science of devotional service to four-faced Lord Brahma, whose inclination toward serving Sri Krishna thus came into full bloom. Infused with this mature devotional mood, Lord Brahma then passed Sri Krishna’s teachings on to Sri Narada Muni, in whom a strong conviction to engage in bhakti subsequently awakened. From Sri Narada these transcendental instructions, endowed with the moods of devotional service to Sri Krishna, were bestowed upon Srila Vedavyasa. Sri Madhvacarya, his devoted follower, inherited this transcendental knowledge from him.
Thereafter, Sri Purnaprajna Madhvacarya, who was also called Anandatirtha, became the sole refuge for Padmanabha-tirtha.
nrhari-madhava-vamse, aksobhya-paramahamse,
sisya bali’ angikara kare
aksobhyera sisya ‘jaya-tirtha’ name paricaya
tan’ra dasye jnanasindhu tare (2)
Following forth from Sri Madhvacarya were Nrharitirtha, Sri Madhava-tirtha, and then the swan like Sri Aksobhya-tirtha. The principal disciple of Sri Aksobhya-tirtha was known as Sri Jayatirtha, and Sri Jnanasindhu devoted himself to the service of Sri Jayatirtha in order to receive transcendental knowledge from him.
tanha haite dayanidhi, tan’ra dasa vidyanidhi
rajendra haila tanha ha’te
tanhara kinkara ‘jaya-dharma’ name paricaya,
parampara jana bhala-mate (3)
From Sri Jnanasindhu the parampara continued with Sri Dayanidhi and from him it continued with his devoted servant Sri Vidyanidhi. It was then continued by Sri Rajendratirtha, whose dedicated servant was named Sri Jayadharma and who was also known as Sri Vijayadhvaja-tirtha. One should properly understand the guru-parampara in this way.
jayadharma-dasye khyati, sri purusottama-yati,
tan’ ha’te brahmanya-tirtha-suri
vyasatirtha tan’ra dasa, laksmipati vyasa-dasa,
tanha ha’te madhavendra puri (4)
The great sannyasi Sri Purusottama-tirtha was renowned as the servant of Sri Jayadharma. From Sri Purusottama-tirtha the succession of bona fide gurus continued with Sri Brahmanya-tirtha, who was very erudite and wise. Sri Vyasatirtha, who carried out his order, was his devoted servant, and Sri Laksmipati-tirtha was Sri Vyasatirtha’s devoted servant. From him the line continued with Sri Madhavendra Puri.
madhavendra puri-vara-sisya-vara sri isvara,
nityananda, sri advaita vibhu
isvara-purike dhanya, karilena sri caitanya,
jagad guru gaura mahaprabhu (5)
Sri Isvara Puri was the most prominent sannyasa disciple of the great Sri Madhavendra Puri, whose disciples also included the avataras Sri Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Advaita Acarya. Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Golden Lord of lords and the spiritual preceptor of all the worlds, made Isvara Puri greatly blessed by accepting him as His diksa-guru.
mahaprabhu sri caitanya, radha-krsna nahe anya,
rupanuga-janera jivana
visvambhara-priyankara, sri svarupa damodara,
sri gosvami rupa, sanatana (6)
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is none other than Radha and Krishna in one form, is the very life of the rupanuga Vaishnavas, those who follow Sri Rupa Gosvami. Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, Sri Rupa Gosvami and Sri Sanatana Gosvami were the dear most servants of Lord Visvambhara (Sri Krishna Caitanya).
rupa-priya mahajana, jiva, raghunatha hana,
tan’ra priya kavi krsnadasa
krsnadasa-priya-vara, narottama seva-para,
yanra pada visvanatha-asa (7)
The great saintly personalities (mahajanas) Sri Jiva Gosvami and Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, were very dear to Sri Rupa Gosvami. The intimate follower of Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was the great kavi, or Vaishnava poet, Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja. The dear most follower of Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja was Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, who was always engaged in guru-seva with great devotion and exalted moods. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura’s lotus feet became the only hope and aspiration for Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.
visvanatha bhakta-satha, baladeva, jagannatha,
tan’ra priya sri bhaktivinoda
maha-bhagavata-vara, sri gaurakisora-vara,
hari-bajanete yanra moda (8)
From among all the Vaishnavas surrounding Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, the
guru-parampara then continued with his most prominent disciple Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana. It then continued with Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja and his dear most Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. From Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura it continued with the best of the maha-bhagavata devotees, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, whose only delight was hari-bhajana, internal absorption in loving service to Sri Hari.
ei saba hari-jana, gaurangera nija-jana,
tandera ucchiste mora kama
sri varsabhanavi-vara, sada sevya-seva-para,
tanhara ‘dayita-dasa’ nama (9)
All of these devotees are the personal associates of Sri Gauranga-deva, Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. My sole desire is to serve the remnants (ucchista) from their lotus mouths in the form of their words, or whatever divine instructions they have left for us out of their causeless mercy.
Srimati Radhika, the daughter of Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja, is the best of Sri Krishna’s beloveds, as She is always engaged in loving service to Her worshipful Lord. This song was composed by the humble servant of the beloved of Srimati Radhika.
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