Abirbhab (Birth):
Jaistha Shukla Trayodashi, Bangla:1295 (Year 1888)
Tirobhab (Expiry):
Maghi Shukla Trayodashi, Bangla:1350 (Year 1943)
Birth Place: Fulbodina village, Jessore Distt, (now)Bangladesh
Parents: Father – Harishchandra Sarkar; Mother – Manomohini
Mahendraji lost his father even before he became three years old, and then by the time he attained the age of nine years he lost his mother too. His elder brother Shashibhusan took care of him but, a gentleman Annada Prasad Datta of Diamond Harbour who was childless, wanted to adopt him and Shashibhusan agreed seeing the grief of his childlessness. Mahendraji got admitted in High School at Diamond Harbour.
However, from the very childhood, Mahendra was disinterested in studying the school-books. He was more attracted towards religious books. The life of Lord Krishna and His Vrindaban Leela (Divine Sport) kept haunting his mind as he grew up. Once during his school life itself, he went to see a Jatra (Open air Opera) and heard a song –
“Bhabe ke-u mayaar duaar-e bandha theko na,
Saadh kore ke-u payer kaada gaye mekho na”
meaning, do not get imprisoned by the earthly desires of worldly life, as, it is just putting mud of the feet on your body.
This moved his mind so much that he wrote to his elder brother about his decision to denounce the worldly life and go out in search of the supreme. He expressed his desire to go to Vrindaban – the place of sweetest relations and sports of divine love of Lord Krishna. Brother Shashibhusan agreed but was unable to send him enough money (he sent Rs 7. only). Mahendra had earned Rs 10. in one essay competition – with Rs 17 he set off for Vrindaban once for ever. After praying before all the temples there, he took the voluntary job of serving the diseased poors and old people at “Gouranga Daridralay” run by Swami Sachchidananda.
During these days he saw a tall divinely wonderful person in his dream and someone in the dream said-“This is Prabhu Jagatbandhu”. He met Nabadwipdasji, a great devotee of Prabhu Jagatbandhu at Yamuna ghaat and came to know that Prabhu Jagatbandhu, the present incarnation Lord Krishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is presently staying at Faridpur, now in Bangladesh. He dreamt of Prabhu once more and kept thinking whether to stay in Braja or go to Faridpur. But one day while roaming on the streets he came across Champati Thakur, who had come to visit Vrindaban. Champati Thakur just touched him and said a few words in his ears after which Mahendra could stay no more in Vrindaban and went to Faridpur in search of Prabhu Sundar.
After a pretty long wait to see Prabhu, who had now kept Himself concealed inside a small room of a mud-cottage (now taken the shape of “Sri Angan” temple) for 9 long years, Mahendra received Prabhu’s Paduka(foot-wear) only. After 9 months of wait to have a glimpse of Prabhu, when he was thinking of committing suicide, a torn page of Chaitanya Charitamrita was dropped before him by wind from nowhere in which the advise of Mahaprabhu to Sanatan Goswami (who also once thought of committing suicide) was written. Then, suddenly one gracious day Prabhu opened the door and allowed Mahendra inside His room. The first sight, the first close contact and all that Mahendraji felt inside that is beyond ordinary language to describe. The best description is available at page 26 of “Mahendra Leelamrita” written by Dr. Mahanambrataji.
Thereafter, Mahendraji got profound fulfilment and took up serving Prabhu and Sri Angan. His destiny, since his childhood was reached. He cooked Bhog(food) for Prabhu with great devotion.
Here, I will take recourse to descriptions penned down by Mahanambrataji about his guru, in "An Introduction of Shripad Mahendraji", who writes –
Qoute
One day he said – “while cooking food for Prabhu’s consumption, it seemed to me, as if, how much can I serve? How much services can I render? These wood pieces are really fortunate to serve! They produced goods for services by burning themselves thoroughly. When can I be so fortunate to burn myself completely like a fuel-wood and dedicate to his service?”
While arranging the food for offerings, Sripad used to call Sri Sri Radharani Thakurani as ‘Didi.’ Inviting her, he used to say – “Come, please add your great divine emotions into these offerings. Bandhu Hari will not accept it unless some great-divine-emotions are mixed with these.”
There was no doubt that Sripad Mahendraji was a man from Braja. Sri Sri Bandhusundar being the combined form of the divine pastime of Braja and Gour; then his dear ones must be hailing from Braja. Goswami Acharya’s have instructed to consider Sri Gurudev as “Sent by Govinda.” My preceptor, was the most loveable among all the darlings of Govinda.
Let me quote a portion from a poem as written by Sripad, while describing his own IDENTIITY:-
“Gokuley Basati Krishna Pati / Aviri Rupasi Ami / Brisha-Bhanu Nandini Kishori Bhamini / Bhalo Basita Dibajami / Swasur Nandaraj Sashuri Yashoda / Batsalyamoyee Dhanishta Annada / Adorey Tushita Shyam Nechey Jeta / Nupur Bajita Jhumjhumi / Subaladi Saney Godhan Charato / Premey Mugdha Kanu Khaoa Fal Kheto / Rakhalera Kandhey Charito Charato / Tara Kanaier Sukhakami / Jakhon Nabani Khawato Janani / Naaru Chhurey Dito Chatur Churamani / Ankhi Therey Mon Pran Kerey Nito / Prasad Loitum Mastak Nomi.”
Another Poem he described his own self as – “Lolita-Swarup-Milito-Anga Bandhur Sebar Lagi.” Sripad Mahendraji’s absorbedness in the services to Bandhusundar – in his Divine-Pastime of Mahauddharan, was equivalent to Lolita’s services at Braja or Swarup’s services at Neelachal.
In his life time, Sripad Mahendraji accomplished two major activities. One was to form such a self-abnegating organization as ‘Mahanam Sampradaya’ and ‘Akhand Mahakirtan Yajna.’
Sri Sri Prabhu Jagatbandhu Sundar is at the epicentre of austerity for this sect.
“Chaitanya Leela Mrita Pur / Krishna Leela Sukarpur / Dohey Mili Hoy Sumadhurya. / Sadhu Guru Prasadey / Taha Jei Aswadey / Sei Janey Madhurya Prachurya.”
The greatest austerity practices of the “Mahanam Sampraday” sect is to savour this charming union. And to propagate this great philosophy is the life time religious austerities. “Happiness in renunciation and stoicism is our destiny” – work as guide lamp in the journey route of this sect. This sect has evolved out the austere practices of Mahendraji’s life. Let me cite an example as to how the followers of Mahanam sect looked upon Sripadji. Sripad Kunjadasji, was the Chief Assistant in this great propaganda of ‘Mahanaam.’ In a book named ‘Mahanam-mala’ he wrote its dedication note:-
“Drahey Mahen Dhara / Prem Bhakti Nahi More / Pranabandhurey Karaha Arpan.”
This is the underlying theme among each and every flower of this sect. It is the same mood as each member of Braja’s women server’s clan had towards their queen of the clan.
This great propagation attains complete fulfillment in the sacrificial – rituals of Mahakritan. Such a great propagation continued from 1322 to 1328 Bengali Era. Thereafter, on 1st Aswin 1328 Sri Sri Prabhu entered into his last phase of mortal life. Mahendraji used to pay respect and devotion to Sriman Nabadwip Dasji as his preceptor. From him only he learned that Sri Sri Prabhu told him – “now you will find the state of thirteenth stage of life. It has three signs – pure beauty, childishness and total engrossness.” Listening to this message Sripad could feel in his meditation that it was the thirteenth state of Prabhu. At this state, the only savouring item was Mahanaam. ‘Mahanaam’ was the dual fruits of Mahakirtan; one was towards the internal domain, while the other was extraneous. Bandhu Sundar, under this state of ultimate stage was enjoying the charm of this ‘Maha Kirtan.’ The fulfillment of this savouring resulted in his great manifestation. This was the internal aspect, while the external aspect was – Bandhuhari had accepted the state of great-demise-stage by receiving the great catastrophic onslaught on his body. This ‘Mahakirtan’ would hinder the might of such a great catastrophe. This internally savouring self-charm, while externally controlling the great debacle. This was, as if, the effect of bhagabat, curbing the onslaught of the great catastrophe and offer the savouring of ultimate state of body. This is the function of the sacrificial rituals of Mahakirtan. This great sacrificial ritual, by the gracious wish of the Lord of Rituals, is still continuing by the austerity prowess of Sripad Mahendraji.
“Yajnam sankritana Praijarjanti Hi Sumedhasah.”
This scriptural message has attained true life through this great sacrificial ritual. This ‘Sankirtan Yajna’ is still being continued. Sripad Mahendraji was the leader of this, sacrificial ritual.
If such pacification of catastrophe and great liberation, be truly realized (we don’t have any doubt in that), then the contribution of Sripad Mahendraji, in this world, would be unique.
Unquote
It is a well known fact that people go to Vrindaban or Braja, as popularly called, to be with the Lord Supreme or Bhagavan. Mahendraji also did that. But after staying for so much time there and then coming to Faridpur from Braja is certainly a fact which needs to be deeply understood. A person who has denounced earthly pleasures in search of God will ultimately settle at a place where he gets a feel of that Supreme, till then he remains restless in his austerity. Mahendraji’s ultimate attainment of happiness, peace and finally leaving the world at Prabhu’s Sri Angan in Faridpur establishes nothing but Prabhu’s Supreme God head.
A true devotee, for example one like Swami Vivekananda who tested Thakur Ramkrisna in many ways, will accept this Supremacy only on conviction through deepest-to-the-heart experience (Aparokshya Anubhuti). Dr. Mahanambrataji was an extremely learned, widely travelled, having knowledge of most of religions, true seeker of God and highly reasonable saint. He too experienced in his life, on several grounds, the Supremacy of Prabhu and the quotations above prove his deep devotion to Mahendraji not only just as a mentor but one who has truly shown him the lotus feet of God - “Tatt Padang Darshitang Yen”. To read about Mahanambrataji’s experience on this, the reader may please look for the texts coming up on Mahanambrata Brahmachari in this blog.
For those who raise doubts about Prabhu Jagatbandhu’s being a full incarnation of the Lord Supreme, the above should be more than convincing and should Prabhu Himself desire, then only they will realize His blissful incarnation, as, “Yamebaisa Brinute Tena Labhya” (Shruti), by logic and any other means God-head of none of the incarnations gets established.
To conclude for now, I quote from a verse on Sripad by Mahanambrataji -
SriMahendra Nitya Pracharan Satya
Nityananda Shakti Botey,
Maaghi Trayodashi Nityananda Tithi
Tathi Tirobhab ghatey.
Braje SriLalita Gambhiraay Swaroop
Leelasangee Anuraagey,
Mahanambrata Chirodin Bhritya
Nitya Seba Bhiksha Maagey.