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His Divine Grace Sri Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj was born in 1894 in a highly respected Brahmana family of the Bhattacarya order, at Hapaniya, District Burdwan, West Bengal. He received his education at Baharampur University. Having taken his pious birth in Sri Gauda-mandala, the holy lands where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited His divine pastimes on the earth, Srila Sridhar Maharaj from his very childhood, had natural affinity for the mission of Sri Caitanyadeva - Sankirtana, the Grand Congregational Chanting of the Holy Names of the Supreme Lord.

In 1926, Srila Sridhar Maharaj joined the Sri Gaudiya Math, and became an initiated disciple of its founder, the illustrious Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura Goswami Prabhupada (1874-1937). He later accepted the holy order of sannyasa (monkhood) in 1930. Recognizing him as a faithful stalwart preacher of the perfect precepts of Gaudiya Vaisnavism, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada conferred upon him the name 'Sri Bhakti Raksaka', meaning, 'Guardian of Devotion'; and further, echoing the statement of the great Vaisnava Preceptor Srila Jiva Goswami (who re-ferred in his Sanskrit writings to the renowned Srimad--Bhagavatam commentator, Sri Sridhara Swamipada, as bhakti-eka-raksaka, 'Supreme Guardian of Devotion'), Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada gave him the Tridanda-sannyasa title of Sridhara.' Thus, he be-came Srimad Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Maharaj. As a prominent preacher in the Sri Gaudiya Math mission, he traveled extensively throughout India and preached fluently in Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, and English, spread-ing the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu on mass levels in universities, public seminars and Sankirtana festivals.

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada also expressed high appreciation for Srila Sridhar Maharaj's Sanskrit composition 'Sri Bhaktivinoda Viraha-dasakam,' considering it an omen of assurance that the grand ideals and dignity of the Sri Gaudiya Divine Succession (Sampradaya) would be perfectly upheld and preached by such a learned and sensitive devotee as Srila Sridhar Maharaj. And practically, as a testimony to this fact, just prior to Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada's departure from this mortal world, Srila Prabhupada had Srila Sridhar Maharaj sing in his pres-ence the holy prayer most venerated by the entire Sri Gaudiya Vaisnava community - Sri Rupa-manjari-pada, sei mora sampada.

After the passing of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sara-swati Thakura Goswami Prabhupada, Srila Sridhar Maharaj's Godbrothers, associates, and the public, nat-urally revered him as the seniormost representative of the Sri Gaudiya Sampradaya, although Srila Sridhar Maharaj himself was more inclined to anonymity as a humble Vaisnava. Nonetheless, by the call of divine duty and divine inspiration, he established the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math at Sri Nabadwip Dham, hinting in a short Sanskrit poem that the Math - as a sanctuary where the holy message of his Gurudeva, Sri Rupa, and Sri Caitanyadeva was preached - would inevitably be-come renowned throughout the world amongst the sincere and pious seekers of unalloyed truth and divinity.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj is the composer of numerous classical prayers and commentaries in Sanskrit and Bengali. His works are hailed as gems of pure Vaisnavism

by scholars, philosophers, and devotees world-wide. He authored Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamrtam, a Sanskrit devo-tional treatise on the subject of divine surrender, which has become a standard text-book for devotees every-where.

Upon reaching his eighties, not only Indians but persons from America, Europe, and the world over, became attracted by his teachings and personality. He was known as a pure saint of the most simple habits of living. He was respected and loved for his saintly sim-plicity, his affectionate nature and dealings; and he was revered by all, whether Godbrothers, disciples, other devotees, or the general public, being unanimously ven-erated for his formidable encyclopedic command of the revealed scriptures, and further for his unique and unpre-cedented style of casting newer and newer light upon the most internal philosophical and revelatory purports of pure Sri Gaudiya-Vaisnava-Siddhanta.

A vast library of his taped discourses has been compiled by his disciples, and from such recordings have been published the exquisite English books "Search for Sri Krsna - Reality the Beautiful," "Sri Guru and His Grace," "The Golden Volcano of Divine Love," "Loving Search for the Lost Servant," as well as his unique com-mentary and interpretation of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, "The Hidden Treasure of the Sweet Absolute," and many others. Many more publications are also anticipated.

On 12th August, 1988, His Divine Grace Sri Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj departed from this world, to enter into the eternal pastimes. His departure did not herald the departure of one of the great stars of the Sri Gaudiya firmament, but that of the moon itself. Even the earth herself trembled on two occasions, forecasting and punctuating the event. A div-ine temple, named "The Temple of Union in Separation," will be erected at his holy shrine at Sri Chaitanya Sara-swat Math, Nabadwip, and worship will continue throughout the generations.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj selected his most intimate and senior Sannyasi disciple, Srimad Swami Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj, as his successor, blessing him with the position of Acarya-President of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math and all its affiliated branches. His Holi-ness Srimad Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj penned the preceding ti-dasakam as an offering to his Gurudeva. All over the world it is sung with devotion by the devotees of Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhar Dev -Goswami Maharaj. Srimad Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj is a distinguished and talented Sanskrit scholar and illustrious preacher of the Precepts of Sri Caitanya-deva, qualities that were prominent in his glorious Gurudeva, Om Visnupada Astottara-sata-Sri Srimad Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj.

Humbly,

Tridandi Swami B.A. Sagar

Editor