Page 83 - SBV (English)

Pre-Sannyäsa Period 23

year later he was given the responsibility of overseeing the Tripura government
secretariat in Calcutta, and with his integrity and dexterity he highly satisfied
the king, especially by uncovering and uprooting widespread venality in the royal
offices. During that period Çré Siddhänta Sarasvaté also corrected the wrong
impressions of a much senior government officer, a Mäyävädé who, on the basis
of imagined faults in Çré Jayadeva Gosvämé’s Géta-govinda, severely assailed the
Vaiñëavas.
Çré Siddhänta Sarasvaté performed diverse services for the royal family until
1905 when, disgusted with pervasive and seemingly unrectifiable envy, malice,
and sleaze in the government offices, he withdrew from their employ. The then
*
king, Çré Rädhä Kiçora Mäëikya Bähädura, offered Çré Siddhänta Sarasvaté a full
pension, which he accepted until 1908 but then renounced. Later the Tripura
kings began giving a monthly allowance to the Yogapéöha temple in Mäyäpur.

Focus on Jyotiña

For some months Çré Siddhänta Sarasvaté lived in Våndävana at Rädhä-
ramaëa-gherä, studying books and absorbing the devotional culture and
atmosphere. Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura was close to the Rädhä-ramaëa
†
Goswamis, particularly Madhusüdana Goswami, with whom he traveled in areas
of western and northern India, holding public meetings to establish Vaiñëava
siddhänta and defeat popular misconceptions. ‡

* Yet it appears that from 1901, after accompanying Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura to Puré,
he had largely withdrawn from government service. (See vol. 1, p. 34)
† Gherä—a compound or living quarters. The gheräs of the families of priests engaged
in worshiping the prominent deities of Våndävana are known as Rädhä-ramaëa-gherä,
Madana-mohana-gherä, and so on.
‡ Rädhä-ramaëa Goswamis—seminal descendants of early worshipers of the Rädhä-
ramaëa deity who by dint of their lineage are entitled to perform and supervise services
to Çré Rädhä-ramaëa. This family was and still is much respected and influential in
Våndävana, and primarily by their endeavor Gauòéya Vaiñëavism had flourished in the
central and western regions of North India, in which areas the family had innumerable
disciples.
By encouraging and helping Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, the immensely respected
Sanskrit scholar and preacher Madhusüdana Goswami much contributed to his popular
acceptance. Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura awarded Madhusüdana the title Särvabhauma,
“Sovereign.” On Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura’s behest Madhusüdana Goswami helped
oversee procedures for establishing the deities of Çré Gaurasundara and Çré Viñëupriyä
in Mäyäpur, during which he was hosted by Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura at his house
in Godruma. Although born in a “Goswami family,” Madhusüdana would say that