Srila Prabhupada had deep faith on the Gaudiya Vaishnab tradition and established the Iskcon organisation to spread Vaishnabism all over the world in coordination with his followers and disciples. Among his followers and disciples, Srimad Bhaki Swarup Damodar Swami Maharaj, Srimad Gour Govind Swami Maharaj and Srimad Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj take an important position as they played a vital role in the spread of Bhagavat tatwa all over the world.
Today is 72th Holy Appearance Day of Srimad Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj who is an international preacher, philosopher, Guru and a great Vaishnab Acharya. Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj was born in Kolkata in 1945. He had proceeded to Germany in the year 1970 for higher qualification in Chemistry. There he had been influenced by the Indian spiritual culture and came back to India and moved from city to city to inquire his spiritual master. lastly he chose to be an Iskcon devotee and read “Bhakti Rasamruta Sindhu” which had been written by Srila Prabhupada.
After reading this book, he met Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada directed him to join at Mayapur Iskcon center in the year 1976 and told him to translate his writings in English into Bengali language for utility of Bangali devotees. Prabhupada gave him one-time Harinam and Brahmana Dikhya and appointed him as his personal secretary in the Indian affairs. Prabhupada was over-pleased with his seva and gave him Sanyasa dikhya after three months.
He proved his efficiency and better administrative capability when the prominent Iskcon centers all over the world like Mayapur, Manipur, France and South Africa were growing popular. He became Guru in the year 1997 and created lakhs of devotees all over the world through preaching of his Bhagavat Seva. When he was chief of Iskcon art and culture department, he had translated the Bhagavat Gita, Srimad Bhagavtam, Chaitanya Charitamrita and Bhakti Rasamruta Sindhhu which were accepted by the Bengali devotees with great deal of interest.
He was director and producer of weekly prashana picture of Abhaya Charan in the national channel during the year 1996. He constructed a nice temple only in ten months at Krishna Balaram Education Center, Ujjain during the year 2004 with assistance from the then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and also constructed many Gurukuls, Goshalas and Ayurvedic hospitals. He was chief of Iskcon Annapurna Unit which gives midday meal to lakhs of school going students. He was advisor of England Hindu Sanatan Vaidika Dharma preacher organisation named “I”.
His Holy appearance day is observed in many Iskcon centers all over the world whereas it is held with great fanfare at Ujjain.
(The writer is State PRO of Iskcon, (M) 9861391342/ 8847875959)
