Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha (Math, Mutt) is situated at Teghori Pada in Sri Nabadwip dham of district Nadia in the West Bengal state of India, and is a prominent holy place of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. It is located in the middle of the place earlier known as Koladvipa. The Math has been continuing as a famous religious spot thronged by thousands of devotees every year.
History
In 1940, after jagad-guru Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada entered aprakata-lila, one of his intimate associates, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, established Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti in a rented building. He later purchased an extensive piece of land on which he established a matha with a beautiful temple.
Inside the Temple
The following deities preside in the five chambers of the temple and samadhi mandir respectively:
Temple
- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada,
- Sri Gauranga and Sri Radha-Vinoda-bihari, and
- Sri Koladeva, or Varahadeva, the presiding deity of Sri Koladvipa.
Samadhi
- Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja
- Srila Bhakti Vedanta Bamana Goswami Maharaja
The temple's nine towers each represent one limb of nava-vidha-bhakti, the nine types of devotional service.
- Hearing,
- Chanting,
- Remembering,
- Serving the Lord's lotus feet,
- Worshipping,
- Offering prayers,
- Engaging as a servant,
- Serving as a friend, and
- Completely surrendering oneself.
The matha is divided into the following nine parts (khandas):
- Paramartha-khanda - the printing press where devotional literature and magazines are produced.
- Kirtana-khanda - the place where sankirtana, lectures on Bhagavatam and other scriptures take place.
- Upasya-khanda - the temple where the deities of Srila Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, Sri Gauranga, Sri Radha-Vinona-bihari and Sri Koladeva are worshipped.
- Sevaka-khanda - the place where the residents of the matha live.
- Bhoga-khanda - the storehouse and kitchen.
- Govardhana-khanda - the cow shed.
- Vaisnnava-granthagara-khanda - the library.
- Udayana-Khanda - the garden.
- Jnana-khanda - the bathrooms and latrines.
These sections are divided on the basis of activities favourable to bhakti, which are to be accepted and those unfavourable which are to be avoided. Jnana and karma which are devoid of bhakti are always to be rejected just as one rejects stools. For this reason the bathrooms and latrines of the matha are called Jnana-khanda.
It was Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami's long-held desire that a deity of Sri Koladeva be established on the Ganga's western bank in the old Kuliya-nagara. To fulfill this desire, Srila Bhakti Prajnana kesava Gosvami Maharaja has manifested the service of Sri Koladeva at the place.
The Past and the Present
- Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja - Founder Acharya.(Pre-ISKCON, sannyasa guru of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.)
- Srila Bhakti Vedanta Bamana Goswami Maharaja - Next Acharya.
- Srila Bhakti Vedanta Paryataka Maharaja - Present Acharya.
- Srila Bhakti Vedanta Acharya Maharaja - Present Secretary.
The Photo Gallery
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References
- Narayana Maharaja, Sri Srimad B.V. (2008). Sri Navadvipa-dhama - page 171. Shri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. ISBN 8186737561
External Links
- Navadvipa: Sri Devananda Gaudiya Math, Navadvipa Tourist Places to Visit for Religious
- Sacred Sites of India - 47 Navadip; Dhameswara Shri Chaitanya temple, Devananda Gaudiya Math
- Virtual Tours to Holy India - Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha.
- New Zealand Hare Krishna Spiritual Resource Network
- Sri Devananda Gaudiya Math, Navadvipa tourist places to visit for Religious...
- Broadcasting International Television - Isckon in Devananda Gaudiya Math with Srila Narayana...
- Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha Srila Gurudeva arrival
- The mother of the Gaudiya Mathas - Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha.
- Navadvipa Parikrama 2010 - Sripad Madhava Maharaja translated into English Srila Gurudeva’s short Bengali discourse.
- Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Goswami - The founder of Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha.
- The Historical Background - Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha and Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
- VNN Editorial - Srila Sridhardev left his company by 1938-39 and started Devananda Gaudiya Math with Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja in 1940.
- Parikrama to Devananda Gaudiya Matha
- Navadvipa: Sri Devananda Gaudiya Math, Navadvipa Tourist Places to Visit for Religious
- The Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Disciplic Succession and Its Unique Characteristics of Which We are a Part
