Sannyasa

In 1908, three months before he took 'sannyasa', a son of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura who was working in the writers building in Calcutta, came home to inform Bhaktivinoda Thakura that Sir William Duke, cheif secretary to the government, was in Calcutta; formerly Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had served under him as a magistrate. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura made an appointment to meet him the next day at the writers building. Sir William Duke met with Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura on the street outside the building and personally escorted him in to his office. With folded hands, he asked forgiveness for having once planned to remove Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura from office of district magistrate; this was because he thought that if such qualified Indians take up such posts, the British would not last much longer in India.

In those days, while studying Bhaktivinoda Thakura's activities (then Kedarnatha Datta), he'd come to his house and would be fed 'puri', 'luchi' and sweets by the Thakura's wife. But now he was begging forgiveness as he was getting on in life; Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura answered, "I consider you to be a good friend and a well wisher all along." Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was pleased with him and gave him his blessings. Later Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura admitted he was astonished that Sir William Duke wanted to harm him in some way.

In the year 1908 Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura took the external 'vesa' dress of a 'babaji' at Satasana in Puri technically which is called his accepting 'paramahamsa-sannyasa', among the 'Gaudiya sampradaya'; until 1910 he would move between Calcutta and Puri, and was still writing books; but during that year he shut himself up and entered 'samadhi', 'claiming paralysis'.

It was on June 23rd., 1914, just before noon at Jagannatha Puri, that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Prabhupada left his body; on the Gaudiya Panjika this day was also the disappearance day of Sri Gadadhara Pandita. But from Orissa his bodily remains were taken back to his beloved Godruma, in the land of Nadia. Amidst 'sankirtana' his remains were interred in Godruma after the next solstice; the summer solstice had just begun when Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Prabhupada had left his body.

Syamasundara: Prabhupada, are you going to answer any questions?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Syamasundara: If anyone has any questions pertaining to the lecture, you can ask them at this time. They should be pertaining to the lecture.
Devotee girl: Did Bhaktivinoda Thakura, he also took sannyasa in later years? Is this right?
Syamasundara: Did Bhaktivinoda Thakura take sannyasa in later years?
Prabhupada: Yes. In very late years. In his retired life.
Syamasundara: Any other questions?
Devotee: Prabhupada, you say that an animal has no chance for liberation. What would happen if an animal came in contact with a pure devotee?
Prabhupada: Yes, there is chance of deliverance. Yes. Even an animal. Because he’ll hear Hare Krishna from the pure devotee. That will not go in vain. He’ll give prasadam. He does not know, but the devotee out of compassion gives prasadam, chants Hare Krishna. He also gets the opportunity of hearing. So he’ll also be liberated. One dog, during Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s time, he also became liberated. There is a history. Sivananda Sena’s dog, he was liberated by the grace of Lord Caitanya. So by the association of pure devotee... Therefore Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s, there is one song. He prays to the Lord that kita-janma hou jatha tuya dasa. Kita means insect. “My Lord, if I have to take my birth again...” Because a devotee does not pray to God for liberation. He simply prays that “Wherever I may take my birth, I may not forget You.” That’s all. That is devotee’s prayer. A devotee does not say that “Elevate me to the heavenly planet or Vaikuntha planet.” No. “You can put me anywhere.” Just like Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, kita-janma hou: “My dear Lord, I have no objection if I have to take my birth next as an insect.” What to speak of human being or other thing. “As an insect. But I must be in the house of a devotee.” So that an insect, by eating the remnants of foodstuff left by the devotee, he’ll be delivered. Kita-janma hou jatha tuya, bahir-mukha brahma-janma nahi mora asa: “I don’t want my next birth as Lord Brahma if I forget You. I don’t want.” That is wanted. A devotee prays to the Lord that he would be able to constantly remember the lotus feet of the Lord. Never mind whether as insect or as king or as dog, never mind. That is devotee’s, pure devotee.