Sri Godruma Kalpatavi - The Desire-tree Grove of Godruma
Book Details
Author(s)Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakur
ISBN / ASINB007VNPMR0
ISBN-13978B007VNPMR5
Sales Rank1,687,956
MarketplaceUnited States 🇺🇸
Description
The Godruma KalpÄá¹avÄ« (The Desire-tree Groves of Godruma) was a newsletter produced by ÅšrÄ«la Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura to guide the leaders and members of his new preaching movement. I was able to secure five issues of this newsletter. I do not know if any more are extant. I obtained these five issues when, at the beginning of our preaching in West Bengal, His Holiness Bhakti CÄru Swami gave me a copy of the Gauá¸Ä«ya
PatrikÄ, a magazine that had been edited by “Abhaya Carana Bhaktivedanta.†The magazine contained an article that cited five issues of the Godruma KalpÄá¹avÄ«. I translated those issues into English and, in 1979, presented the work as a small book. Coincidentally, at the time I had been considering to call our congregational preaching movement the “ISKCON Saá¹…kÄ«rtana Organization,†but when I discovered that the name “NÄma Haá¹á¹a†derived from Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura and Lord NityÄnanda, I realized that this same traditional name was applicable also to our initiative. Consequently, I considered that this name NÄma Haá¹á¹a was actually given by ÅšrÄ«la PrabhupÄda himself, since he had been the president of the Gauá¸Ä«ya PatrikÄ magazine.
From the Godruma KalpÄá¹avÄ« newsletter, we have gathered that Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura established at least five hundred NÄma Haá¹á¹a groups and was actively preaching amongst gá¹›hastha devotees. By his personal guidance and preaching example, he was able to revive Lord NityÄnanda’s NÄma Haá¹á¹a preaching program. In the Godruma KalpÄá¹avÄ«, Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura dealt with the practical circumstances encountered in the course of his preaching. Therein he gave his followers various practical instructions, most of which are still relevant today. His purpose was practical in principle—such as his authorizing any kind of music provided that the lyrics were Kṛṣṇa conscious. Similarly, in ISKCON we have writers of music, art, and so on, all of which can be used in devotional service if the end result is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We see how those instructions of Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura’s were applicable not only for his time but also for the future. It is significant to witness the direct guidance and words of one of our Gauá¸Ä«ya Vaiṣṇava ÄcÄryas to the devotees of that day, regarding how they should apply Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the preaching field. This is the speciality of the Godruma KalpÄá¹avÄ«.
Written approximately 120 years ago, these Godruma KalpÄá¹avÄ« newsletters describe a transcendental market wherein the Lord’s holy names are systematically distributed to faithful customers who are willing to accept such a spiritual product. Based upon the “currency†of one’s faith and devotion for the Supreme Lord, everyone—regardless of cast, creed, color, or religion—is eligible to purchase the holy name. Specific descriptions of roles and duties, as well as cautions and guidelines, are provided by Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura to his NÄma Haá¹á¹a “employees,†the distributors of the holy name amongst the general populace.
By the mercy of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupÄda and the previous Gauá¸Ä«ya Vaiṣṇava ÄcÄryas, Lord Caitanya’s message of service to Lord Kṛṣṇa is certainly spreading far and wide all over the world—and this was predicted more than a century ago by Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura. Today we are witnessing the fulfilment of that prediction, for Kṛṣṇa consciousness is reaching to people in every country and is tangibly benefiting their lives through the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahÄ-mantra and the practice of devotional service. Attempting to follow in the footsteps of our spiritual predecessor Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura, who was the great–grand–spiritual-master of ISKCON’s founder-ÄcÄrya, ÅšrÄ«la PrabhupÄda, we most sincerely desire to share Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura’s instructions regarding NÄma Haá¹á¹a preaching.
PatrikÄ, a magazine that had been edited by “Abhaya Carana Bhaktivedanta.†The magazine contained an article that cited five issues of the Godruma KalpÄá¹avÄ«. I translated those issues into English and, in 1979, presented the work as a small book. Coincidentally, at the time I had been considering to call our congregational preaching movement the “ISKCON Saá¹…kÄ«rtana Organization,†but when I discovered that the name “NÄma Haá¹á¹a†derived from Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura and Lord NityÄnanda, I realized that this same traditional name was applicable also to our initiative. Consequently, I considered that this name NÄma Haá¹á¹a was actually given by ÅšrÄ«la PrabhupÄda himself, since he had been the president of the Gauá¸Ä«ya PatrikÄ magazine.
From the Godruma KalpÄá¹avÄ« newsletter, we have gathered that Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura established at least five hundred NÄma Haá¹á¹a groups and was actively preaching amongst gá¹›hastha devotees. By his personal guidance and preaching example, he was able to revive Lord NityÄnanda’s NÄma Haá¹á¹a preaching program. In the Godruma KalpÄá¹avÄ«, Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura dealt with the practical circumstances encountered in the course of his preaching. Therein he gave his followers various practical instructions, most of which are still relevant today. His purpose was practical in principle—such as his authorizing any kind of music provided that the lyrics were Kṛṣṇa conscious. Similarly, in ISKCON we have writers of music, art, and so on, all of which can be used in devotional service if the end result is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We see how those instructions of Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura’s were applicable not only for his time but also for the future. It is significant to witness the direct guidance and words of one of our Gauá¸Ä«ya Vaiṣṇava ÄcÄryas to the devotees of that day, regarding how they should apply Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the preaching field. This is the speciality of the Godruma KalpÄá¹avÄ«.
Written approximately 120 years ago, these Godruma KalpÄá¹avÄ« newsletters describe a transcendental market wherein the Lord’s holy names are systematically distributed to faithful customers who are willing to accept such a spiritual product. Based upon the “currency†of one’s faith and devotion for the Supreme Lord, everyone—regardless of cast, creed, color, or religion—is eligible to purchase the holy name. Specific descriptions of roles and duties, as well as cautions and guidelines, are provided by Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura to his NÄma Haá¹á¹a “employees,†the distributors of the holy name amongst the general populace.
By the mercy of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupÄda and the previous Gauá¸Ä«ya Vaiṣṇava ÄcÄryas, Lord Caitanya’s message of service to Lord Kṛṣṇa is certainly spreading far and wide all over the world—and this was predicted more than a century ago by Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura. Today we are witnessing the fulfilment of that prediction, for Kṛṣṇa consciousness is reaching to people in every country and is tangibly benefiting their lives through the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahÄ-mantra and the practice of devotional service. Attempting to follow in the footsteps of our spiritual predecessor Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura, who was the great–grand–spiritual-master of ISKCON’s founder-ÄcÄrya, ÅšrÄ«la PrabhupÄda, we most sincerely desire to share Bhaktivinoda á¹hÄkura’s instructions regarding NÄma Haá¹á¹a preaching.
