SRILA BALADEVA VIDYABHUSANA

Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana was a highly renounced, pure devotee, who had not
even a fraction of desire for name or fame. He compiled many literatures in
order to benefit mankind. However he never mentioned his birth place or
anything about his family background and therefore the details are not known
for sure.

Historians have estimated that he was born sometime in the eighteenth century,
most probably in Orissa (possibly near Remuna). At a very early age, he
finished his studies of grammar, poetry, rhetoric and logic and then went on
pilgrimage. During this time he spent some time with the Tattvavadis in South
India and thus became conversant with the teachings of Sri Madhvacarya. He
became a powerful exponent of this philosophy throughout India.

During his travels he again came to Utkaladesa (Orissa) and met with a
grand-disciple of Sri Rasikananda Deva, Sri Radha-Damodara Deva by name, with
whom he discussed philosophy. Sri Radha-Damodara Deva explained the
conclusions of Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy as expounded by Sri Gaurasundara
and requested him to consider the unlimited mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
These talks penetrated his heart and awakened divine love within. Thus, after
a few days he was initiated with Radha-Krsna mantra and began to study the
Sat-sandarbha of Sri Jiva Gosvami.

In a very short time he became very expert in Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy.
With the permission and blessings of his guru, he moved to Sri Vrindavana
Dhama to further study these teachings under Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti
Thakura.

Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura was exteremly pleased to see the humble and
gentle nature and the renunciation and profound mastery of the Vedas that
characterized Baladeva. He carefully instructed him in
acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. Baladeva fully accepted the Gaudiya Vaisnava
philosophy and began to preach it with great vigor.

Around this time, the members of the Sri sampradaya began to raise some
arguments in the court of the king at Jaipur. They complained that as the
Gaudiya Vaisnavas had no commentary on the Vedanta-sutra, they were not
qualified to worship the Deity and therefore the worship should be turned over
to the Sri sampradaya. They also objected to the worship of Srimati Radharani
along with Sri Sri Govinda-Gopinatha as not being authorised anywhere in the
sastras.

The king, Sadacari Raja, was initiated within the Gaudiya sampradaya. Thus he
quietly sent word to Vrindavana, informing the devotees there of what had
happened. But at the same time the king was obliged to remove Radharani from
the Deity room as well as suspend the Bengali Gaudiya Vaisnava pujaris from
partaking in the Deity worship.

At that time Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada was very aged, so it was not
possible for him to make the journey to Jaipur. In his place he sent his
student, Sri Baladeva, who was fully conversant with the sastras and thus able
to competently face the challenge. In a great assembly he posed such forceful
arguments to the followers of Ramanuja that they could not reply to them. He
further explained to them, "The originator of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya,
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has accepted Srimad Bhagavata as the natural
commentary on the Vedanta-sutra, as composed by Srila Vyasadeva Himself. This
is proven in the Sat-sandarbha."

The scholars in the assembly, however, refused to accept anything other than a
direct commentary on the sutra. Having no other recourse, Baladeva promised to
present them with one.

Feeling very aggrieved, Sri Baladeva came to Sri Govindaji's mandira and after
offering his prostrated obeisances, informed Sri Govinda of everything that
had happened. That night the Lord appeared to him in a dream and instructed
him to write a commentary on the Vedanta-sutra. "I will dictate to you what to
write and therefore no one will be able to refuse to accept it."

Having seen such a wonderful dream, Baladeva was totally enlivened and felt
renewed strengh flow into his heart. Thus he began to write, and within a few
days completed the commentary which was titled 'Sri Govinda Bhasya'.

Vidya rupam bhusanam me pradaya kyatim nitya tena yo mamudarah Sri Govinda
svapna nirdista bhaso radha bandhubandhurangah sa jiyat: "May He Who so
mercifully and munificiently was kind towards me, and bestowed his favour by
ordering me in a dream to write down His own commentary, which He would
compose, and which attained such renown amongst the learned circles that they
bestowed upon me the title 'Vidyabhusana'; may that dear friend of Srimati
Radharani, who holds Him dearer than Her own life, be glorified. May that Sri
Govinda be glorified."

Bringing the commentary with him, Sri Baladeva again came to the assembly of
the Ramanandi scholars. After reading the commentary they were simply
speechless. Thus the victory of the Gaudiya sampradaya was announced far and
wide and the king, as well as the other devotees, began to float in the ocean
of bliss. The scholars then bestowed upon Sri Baladeva the title
'Vidyabhusana'.

This assembly took place in the year 1628 Sakabda, at Golta near the present
city of Jaipur. Baladeva Vidyabhusana installed the Deity of Vijaya Gopala
there at Golta Mandira, but the whereabouts of this Deity are at present not
known. From this day the Maharaja of Jaipur announced that Sri Govinda's arati
would be performed first and then the other temples could perform their
aratis.

After accepting defeat, the Ramanandi scholars expressed their desire to
accept initiation from Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana. However, he declined their
request by stating that amongst the four authorized sampradayas, the Sri
sampradaya was highly respectable and the foremost adherent of dasya-bhakti
(devotion in servitorship). If there was any cause of loss of respect to the
sampradaya this might be considered an offense.

Returning from Jaipur to Vrindavana, Sri Baladeva presented the certificate of
victory to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and narrated all of the events
that had transpired. All of the devotees were in great ecstacy to receive this
news and Cakravartipada bestowed his full blessings on Sri Baladeva. At this
time, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana began to write a commentary on Srila Jiva
Gosvami's Sat-sandarbha.

Sri Jaya and Sri Vijaya Govinda, residing at Gokulananda Mandira in
Vrindavana, were worshiped by Baladeva Vidyabhusana personally. According to
the opinion of some devotees, the Deities of Syamananda Prabhu, Sri Sri
Radha-Syamasundara, were installed by Sri Baladeva Vidybhusana.

After Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura finished his pastimes in this world,
Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana became the next acarya of the Gaudiya Vaisnava
sampradaya.

At the end of Vedanta-syamantaka, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana acknowledges his
spiritual master thusly: "I have been sent here to Vrindavana by one brahmana
guru, Sri Radha-Damodar Deva, to present a compositon named
Vedanta-syamantaka, composed by his mercy for the pleasure of Srimati
Radharani."

Srila Baladeva Vidybhusana became known later as Sri Govinda dasa. He had two
well-known disciples: Sri Vidya dasa and Sri Nandan Misra.

He is the compiler of the following books: (Hey there's a lot more than this:
Bhasya-pithaka, commentaries on Gopala Campu, Krsna-bhavanamrta,
Samsaya-satini, etc.etc.) Sri Govinda-bhasya, Siddhanta-ratnam,
Sahitya-kaumudi, Vedanta-syamantaka, Prameya-ratnavali, Siddhanta-darpana,
Kavya-kaustubha, Vyakarana-kaumudi, Pada-kaustubha, Isadi-upanisad bhasya,
Gitabhusana-bhasya, Sri Visnunamasahasra-bhasya,
Sanksepa-bhagatamrta-tippani-saranga-rangada, Tattva-sandarbha-tika,
Stava-mala-vibhusana-bhasya, Nataka-candrika-tika, Candraloka-tika,
Sahitya-kaumudi-tika, Krsna-nandini, Srimad-Bhagavata-tika, Vaisnava-nandini,
Govinda-bhasya-siksma-tika, Siddhanta-ratna-tika, Stava-mala-tika.

