Page 81 - SBV (English)

TWO

Pre-Sannyäsa Period

Employment

After quitting college, Çré Siddhänta Sarasvaté remained at home for some
time, taking dictation for Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura’s upcoming classic Jaiva
Dharma. Requested by the king of Tripura, Mahäräja Véracandra-deva Varma
Mäëikya Bähädura, to visit the state capital, Agartala, Çréla Bhaktivinoda
Öhäkura did so in July 1895, accompanied by Çré Siddhänta Sarasvaté. On each
*
of his four days there, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura lectured at the royal palace,
and his unique talks on näma-tattva and Caitanya-lélä enthralled the maharaja
and his court paëòitas. Çré Siddhänta Sarasvaté did not think it proper that he be
maintained by his father. Accordingly, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura’s fourth son,
Çré Kamalä Prasäda, who was Mahäräja Véracandra-deva’s dewan, introduced Çré
Siddhänta Sarasvaté to the king, who thereupon retained Çré Siddhänta Sarasvaté
as a sub-editor of Räja-ratnäkara, a compilation of the biographies of the rulers
of Tripura. While discharging this service, Çré Siddhänta Sarasvaté availed of the
opportunity to study the books in the royal library.
Notwithstanding that his father and mentor was one of the most esteemed
religious leaders of the era, Çré Siddhänta Sarasvaté was clearly destined to be
an outstanding personage in his own right. He was already a recognized scholar
and important spiritual voice. Despite being employed and earning money, he
was never like an ordinary materialist; rather, he stuck closely to the association
and precepts of his pure devotee father. And since his duties kept him mostly in
Calcutta, he was able to serve Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura like a private secretary.
While most young men of his age and status were making plans for family life
and career, Çré Siddhänta Sarasvaté was interested only in serving Kåñëa, and
was resolved to do so without the encumbrances of household affairs.
After the incumbent king passed away in 1896, Çré Siddhänta Sarasvaté
was deputed by the successor to instruct the princes in Bengali and Sanskrit. A

* Tripura—a nominally independent princely state east of Bengal that had been governed
by Vaiñëava monarchs for more than three hundred years, since preachers dispatched by
Narottama däsa Öhäkura had inspired the then king to adopt Lord Caitanya’s saìkértana
movement.

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