Sripada Ananta Vasudeva Paravidyabhusana Prabhu
Widely considered the most brilliant, and undoubtedly the most enigmatic, of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s disciples, Ananta Vasudeva Paravidyabhusana Prabhu was born in 1895 as the youngest brother of Jagadisa Basu (later to be Srimad B.P. Tirtha Maharaja) and named Ananta. From childhood he was attracted to kirtana and sastra. By age eight he had memorized parts of the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavad-gita. He became expert in playing mrdanga and would sing for hours, especially the compositions of Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, in his connaturally melodious voice.
At age sixteen while a student at Berhampur, Murshidabad District, Bengal, Ananta went to Calcutta to join his father and brother Yogindra in a parade welcoming the visiting George V, emperor of India. But being more eager to see the emperors among the Vaisnavas, he accompanied his father and Yogindra to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Bhakti Bhavan. Upon entering they saw the Thakura seated on a wooden asana, with Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati sitting at his feet chanting japa. Sri Krsnadasa Babaji remained at a little distance on the veranda. After they had prostrated to the venerable Thakura, he smilingly spoke the benedictory words tomader mangala hauk (Let there be auspiciousness for you) and then said, “It is good to go see the king. Under his rule we are able to chant the holy names without disturbances. That the British are tolerant of our religious practices is to our advantage.”
In 1912 Ananta again had darsana of Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati at Kashimbazar, and then again in Calcutta in 1915 and 1916 at remembrance meetings for Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, which were addressed by many leading personalities of Bengal.
While completing his studies at Calcutta University, Ananta stayed with his brother Jagadisa, who was living on the same lane as Kunja Bihar! Prabhu and was his intimate friend. In their company he returned to Bhakti Bhavan in early 1918. Ananta was disconcerted by assertions of the Brahmo Samaj founder Rammohan Roy and others posing as learned religious leaders, who by their erroneous propaganda were vilifying Vaisnava dharma and misleading the supposedly educated youth of Bengal toward atheistic views. He asked Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati if the allegations of these formidable enemies of Vaisnavism could be countered, and if so, by what arguments, and when it might happen. In particular, he wanted to know if charges against the significance of Srimad-Bhagavatam could be refuted, and if by unbreakable logic it could be established that the conclusions of Srimad-Bhagavatam represent Vedanta philosophy. Before responding, Sri Siddhanta Sarasvatliinstructed Ananta to sing a bhajana. Astonished, Ananta asked Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati how he knew him to be a kirtaniya, and Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati just laughed mildly. Ananta then chanted Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s composition beginning kabe ha’be bolo se-dina amara, and all present seemed to appreciate the recitation. It was likely that most had never heard that kirtana before, as it had been published only recently. Thereafter, in resonant tone and in much detail, Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati dismantled the propositions of the anti-party and declared that their cheating must be publicized. When Ananta finally left that day, he was relieved of an angst that had been gnawing him for months, and was convinced that a singular person capable of replying to those atheists had now been sent to the world.
Ananta started to associate thickly with Kunja Bihari Prabhu and hear Hari-katha from him. In early 1918 he graduated from Calcutta University in the first class. Then on the night preceding Gaura-jayanti in March 1918, he was suddenly called by Kunjada to accompany him to Mayapur—the news was out that Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati was to take sannyasa.
It was Ananta’s first visit to Mayapur. Along with several others, he received diksa on the day after Gaura-purnima, and was renamed Ananta Vasudeva after the famous deity of Krsna in Bhubaneswar. Later Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati titled him Paravidyabhusana (decorated with transcendental knowledge). Often he was referred to informally as Vasudeva Prabhu.
Although from the beginning he was part of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s inner coterie, it was not until May 1920 that Vasudeva Prabhu left all material commitments to join the mission as a completely dedicated brahmacari.
Once from within a room, Vasudeva Prabhu was singing a kirtana of his own composition beginning ohe premera thakura gora. Unknown to him, Srila Sarasvati Thakura was standing outside listening. Afterward Srila Sarasvati Thakura expressed appreciation of that song and subsequently had it published in Sajjana-tosani.
Vasudeva Prabhu was instrumental in introducing the first annual observance of Vyasa-puja, on Srila Sarasvati Thakura’s avirbhava-tithi in 1924, during which he revealed pranama-mantras honoring his gurudeva. Thereafter these mantras were congregationally chanted matutinally each day in every Gaudiya Matha. Vasudeva Prabhu also composed pranama-mantras for Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji. Moreover, he introduced the stating of astottara-sata-sri and om visnupada in formal writing and utterance (especially in the jaya-dhvani) of Srila Sarasvati Thakura’s name. Similarly, Vasudeva Prabhu introduced usage of cid-vilasa in conjunction with Srila Sarasvati Thakura’s name to indicate his wholly transcendental position within the Lord’s personal retinue. Another of his lasting contributions to the legacy of the Gaudiya Matha was his setting tunes according to the traditional style known as gadanhati for those kirtanas that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had composed without stipulating a melody.
[1] Until today, these pranama-mantras have remained standard within most of the Gaudiya Matha diaspora and also within Iskcon. That the pranama- mantra for Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura (namo bhaktivinodaya … rupanuga-varaya te) was composed by Vasudeva Prabhu when quite young, before he accepted diksa, is clear from its being featured in Sajjana-tosani 18.524 (March 1916). It is not known when the mantras for Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji and Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji were composed.
^ Astottara-sata-srl—adorned with 108 transcendental opulences. Om—invocation of the Absolute Truth; visnupada—one who is of the same status as Visnu, or situated at His feet. Cit—the aspect of Krsna’s internal energy that reveals knowledge; vilasa—(one who takes part in) pastimes.
The term astottara-sata-sri in praise of exceptional acaryas had been in vogue in the Sri and Madhva sampradayas since time immemorial. Stating om visnupada was as directed in Hari-bhakti-vilasa (1.95). Astottara-sata-srl and om visnupada gained wide and permanent usage; cid-vilasa not so.
From 1925 Vasudeva Prabhu was Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s personal secretary. He took upon himself the vow of eating only if ordered by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, and as a result sometimes fasted. He once pronounced, “I challenge maya to take me from the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada.”
As a srutidhara (one who remembers all he hears), Vasudeva Prabhu could repeat everything he heard from his gurudeva. Often while discoursing, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati would speak for some minutes so quickly and animatedly that it was difficult even for his disciples to understand what he was saying. Then he would stop and ask Vasudeva Prabhu to explain what had been stated, which the percipient Vasudeva Prabhu would do accurately. And unlike when he would ask other disciples to sing, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati often requested Vasudeva Prabhu to chant without first specifying the kirtana he wanted to hear, which further suggested that Vasudeva Prabhu was precisely attuned to the desires of his master.
Vasudeva Prabhu was highly respected for his erudition, agile intelligence, and renunciation. His word on doctrinal matters was certified by Srila Sarasvati Thakura and therefore honored by all within the mission. By such qualities he became the unofficial leader of the brahmacaris, and his closeness to Srila Sarasvati Thakura made him even more prominent than most sannyasis.
There was a saying in the Gaudiya Matha: “To learn about siddhanta go to Vasudeva Prabhu, and to learn about seva go to Kunjada.” Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu was known as vani-vigraha, the personification of spiritual instructions, or siddhanta-vigraha, the personification of correct philosophical conclusions, and Kunjada as seva-vigraha, the personification of service.* Vasudeva Prabhu was particularly sharp in debate; he could immediately grasp the weak points in an opponent’s presentation and refute them.
Vasudeva Prabhu oversaw the publication department, particularly the production of the Gaudiya and Harmonist magazines, and along with his close associate Sundarananda Prabhu he assisted Srila Sarasvati Thakura in many literary projects by transcribing, researching, editing, proofreading, and publishing. Srila Sarasvati Thakura often said, “Sundarananda is my right hand and the other is Ananta Vasudeva.” Both were widely revered within the Gaudiya Matha, yet because they would not tolerate even slight infringements of standards, some found it difficult to live with them.
[1] The appellation seva-vigraha is accorded to Sri Nityananda Prabhu in Cb 1.2.5.
Srila Sarasvati Thakura sometimes referred to Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu as his Ganesa, for just as Ganesa was Vyasadeva’s scribe, Vasudeva Prabhu would record as he dictated. He often asked Vasudeva to supply references to points he made while dictating, or gave the gist of a topic for Vasudeva to elaborate on in writing. In this way he composed the commentaries Gaudiya-bhasya, on Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, and Srimad-bhagavata-vivrti. He often said, “Vasudeva Prabhu has done many things for me.”
Shortly before Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati passed away some disciples asked him, “When you leave this world who will speak your message?” to which he replied, “Vasudeva Prabhu is intimate with my thoughts. Whatever I have told, whatever i have not told, all will be explained by Vasudeva. Rupa-raghunatha- vani is to be taught by him.”
The later history of Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu is unusual and fraught with controversy. After Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s demise, Ananta Vasudeva was appointed acarya of the Gaudiya Mission and took sannyasa, with the name Srimad Bhakti Prasada (B.P.) Puri Gosvami. But amid the ensuing infighting, he gave up sannyasa, married, and abdicated as head of the Mission. It was widely reported that he also rejected some teachings and practices imparted by his guru—for instance, stating that Srila Sarasvati Thakura’s introducing of sannyasa was not according to sastra, and disagreeing with his conception of parampara. From certain of Ananta Vasudeva’s statements it became clear that he considered Srila Sarasvati Thakura not a nitya-siddha. Thus Ananta Vasudeva was rejected by most of his godbrothers and many of his disciples. Further horrendous accusations were leveled at him, which he never cared to rebut (nor were they ever proven). Later he lived almost incognito in Vrndavana, where he salvaged and published ancient Vaisnava manuscripts, particularly those of the Six Gosvamis of Vrndavana—a project that Srila Sarasvati Thakura had wanted executed. Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu departed this world from Vrndavana, and although to many his name is indelibly associated with ignominy, to this day others worship him as a misunderstood and misrepresented saint.
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Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu was one of the contemporary disciples of Srila Prabhupada. In order to keep us away from popularity and allow us to enter into deep eternal transcendental services, Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu manifested an extraordinary charismatic ‘deception’ pastime in the eyes of Gaudiya Vaisnava history.
Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu was born on 25th of August 1895 in the family of father, Rajani Kanta Basu and mother, Srimati Vidhumukhi Devi at the village of Sandeep Hatia, district Noyakhali. At present, this place is in the territory of Bangladesh. Since childhood, Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu had spontaneous attachment for reading Srimad Bhagavatam and chanting devotional songs which were written by Srila Narottam Das Thakur & Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur while playing the mrdanga (musical drum made of clay). On 30th December 1911, along with his father and elder brother (Yogendranath Basu) at the age of 16, he met Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur and Bimala Prasad (birth name of Srila Prabhupada) at his residence Bhakti Bhavan, Rambagan, Kolkata.
In 1918, Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu again met with Srila Prabhupada at Bhakti Bhavan, Kolkata. Once, during his meeting with Srila Prabhupada, he melodiously sang, ‘Kabe Hobe Bolo Sei Din Amar’ a song written by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur. On the next day, during the Gaura Purnima festival, he received initiation from Srila Prabhupada and became known as Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu. In a short period of time Srila Prabhupada was attracted by his extraordinary devotional charisma and therefore appointed him as the chief editor of Bhagavata Press. Ananta Vasudev Prabhu was known to be extremely intelligent and proficient in Sanskrit and an erudite scholar.
In 1924, Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu was the first personality who inaugurated the glorious worship of Sri Guru termed as Vyas puja in the Gaudiya Math, thus, giving the devotees an opportunity to observe this auspicious ceremony. This allowed the devotees to understand the significance of such an important festival. Furthermore, he conducted the 50th Vyas-Puja festival of Srila Prabhupada.
The ultimate truth is that every living being in this mortal world has to die. At 5.30 am on the 1st of January 1937, Srila Prabhupada’s physical departure invoked extreme separation amongst all of his disciples. Nonetheless, on the 26th of March 1937, to continue the divine mission of Srila Prabhupada, Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu was unanimously selected by his godbrothers to be the successor Acharya of Gaudiya Math. In June 1939, he took the sannyas vow and was ordained with the new name, Srila Bhakti Prasad Puri Das Thakur.
In 1941, Srila Puri Das Thakur felt inspired to change the society’s name from Gaudiya Math into Gaudiya Mission.
In 1943 Srila Puri Das Thakur’s incredible popularity was disturbing him. Therefore, he manifested a ‘deception’ pastime (which laymen cannot understand), abandoning the position of Acharya in preference to performing solitary spiritual practices for relishing the eternal service of the Divine Couple in Vrindavan. In 1954, he appointed his godbrother, Srila Bhakti Kevala Audulomi Goswami Maharaj, to continue the Acharya post of Gaudiya Mission. Later, he printed almost all the rare Goswami books and distributed them freely amongst local schools and libraries.
On the 8th of March 1958, Srila Puri Das Thakur departed from this mortal world.
Through his entire life, he taught us that no one is able to realize a pure devotee’s activities for entering the highest destination (Goloka Vrindavan) with their mundane intelligence.