Swami Bon: On the Way to Vaikuntha

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"On the other side of the Ganges, begins the divine land of the gods"

"Long years have passed since his disappearance, but I can never forget him. What unprecedented affection! What instructions! What glorification of the secrets of internal worship! What authoritative reprimands! What talks! Since his disappearance, it seems like half a Yuga has passed. Even now, how will I ever find a trace of the moon of Vraj without the compassionate glance of my ever worshipful master Shri Varshabhanavi Dayita Das [Srila Sarasvati Thakur]? Why can I still not just call out 'Krishna' in divine madness? What else is there? Why do I still have so much attraction to this despicable life? But oh -- there, on the other side of the Ganges, begins the divine land of the gods. Proceeding just a bit further, I shall leave this world behind and enter Svargalok. Oh gods in heaven! Be merciful to me and let no memory of this world arise in my mind while I dwell in your heavenly land! Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare -- with these words, I crossed the bridge."

- taken from "On the Way to Vaikuntha"

Bhrigu Pata Kund

"This Kund is round, nine or ten feet in diameter, and filled with snow and ice. From one side to the other side of the Kund one can see a red stone shard, almost like a sword. In ancient times, this stone was so sharp, that one could easily kill himself by jumping on it. Nowadays, it is blunt.
Far above, two- or three thousand feet above the well, a cliff leans out over the emptiness. Previously, Sannyasis who had become unfit for their practices would willingly give up their life by jumping down into the Bhrigu Pata Kund, and from there attain a new body suitable for yoga, or, having completed their practices, attain final liberation. The sharp stone would cut them into pieces and they would disappear into the Kund. Willingly they thus used to sacrifice their lives at Bhrigu Pata."

(Tridandi Swami B.H. Bon - "On the Way to Vaikuntha" pages 238-239)

Swami Bon Maharaj's darshan of Lord Shiva

"Suddenly, my closed eyes were opened and I began to see, as if with newly gifted vision, a golden lotus floating down the current of the Ganges, that carries the fragrance of the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu.
It filled all the directions with its light, and when the lotus opened up and blossomed, blue-throated Lord Mahesvar Shiva himself appeared from it, with a bodily lustre outshining the sun itself!"

(taken from "On the Way to Vaikuntha")

Whom should I tell the innermost thoughts of my heart?

"After some more time, Bhattaji returned from the temple with my letter, having touched it to the lotus feet of Shri Narayan. He also brought me some Tulasi leaves and sandalwood paste that had been offered to these holy feet. I ate the Tulasi and smeared the sandalwood paste on my head. There is no doubt that the omniscient Shri Hari knew the inner meaning of my letter. Knowing my crazy effort, it is true that the world will laugh, but will Lord Hari scoff at me? And even if He does scoff, except Him, whom should I tell the innermost thoughts of my heart?" ("On the Way to Vaikuntha", p. 271-272)

Prayer to Lord Brahma for becoming Lord Krishna's Servant

"O Lord, from this very day, rid me of all egotism pertaining to body, caste and stage of life, and awaken my true nature as servant of Krishna.

Give me the boon that I may always in the company of devotees have a taste for the congregational chanting of Shri Krishna's Names, and that without any regard for the world, I may dance and clap my hands like a madman!

Make me with ecstatic love for Krishna! Let me leave everything and simply take shelter at Krishna's feet."

Saying this prayer, I offered my obeisance to Lord Brahma and thus ended my journey to Brahmadham Satyalok."

(from: Tridandi Swami Bhakti Hriday Bon Maharaj's "On the Way to Vaikuntha", pages 185-186)

Pranam to Swami Bon

"I make my obeisances with deep and loving devotion for ever and ever to my Gurudev, who is known by the name of Srimad Bhakti Hriday Bon, who being attracted by the lotus-feet of Radha-Madhab is for ever and ever immersed in the perennial stream of supramundane joy emanating therefrom.

I bow down again and again with loving devotion to my Gurudev who is a wandering Tridandi mendicant and erudite Vaishnava (who) is always following in the wake of Sri Rupa; I make my obeisances in all humility, at all times with sincere loving devotion to my Gurudev who resides happily in the Kunja (bower) allotted to him by Shrimati Radhika, the dearest Divine Consort of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna who is Rasa epitomized, who has taken to the way of Bhakti in consonace with the teachings of Sri Chaitanya - nay, whose whole pattern of life is moulded on the teachings and precepts of Sri Chaitanya."

Life Sketch of Swami Bon Maharaj

Swami Bhakti Hridaya Bon Maharaj was born on 23rd of March, 1901 of Dakshinakali Devi to Bramharsi Rajanikanta in the village Bahar of Vikrampur Subdivision in Dacca District in undivided Bengal as Narendranath Mukherjee.
In the year 1914, Narendranath left his village-home to be admitted to the English Mission School at Ranchi. This developed in him a balanced power of expression in English, Logical thinking, a natural association with priests, particularly Reverend Canon William Cosgrave and the seed was sown within him for religious mendicancy.

After his graduation from School, he continued his search for the ultimate with aching pain and unflinching resolute.
Shortly thereafter, in 1918, he heard discourses of Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupad and thought at long last he had reached the fountain from which would spring his desired immortality.
In 1923 he took to renunciation, and was named Tridandi Swami Bhakti Hriday Bon - remarkable was the name; disciples of Prabhupad who took renunciation were given names from amongst "Ten names". Bon was not given to any other disciples of Prabhupad.
The selection of the name was the vision of the great man as he knew the place of devotion of this favorite disciple of his would be "Hridi Vrinda Bon".

Between 1924 and 1932, under the guidance of his spiritual master, he preached the message of Lord Sri Caitanya and became famous for his spiritual knowledge and oratory power, amongst the intellectuals, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Dibrugar to Dwaraka.
Being impressed by his succes in spreading Lord Caitanya's message within the country, Sri Prabhupada decided to send him to England and Germany as his first emissary and bestowed on him the difficult task to propagate the Lord's message abroad.
In England he was invited to deliver lectures at Oxford and Cambridge University, University of Exeter and various other theosophical and academic institutions.
In July 1933, Swamiji was received in audience by Their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary at Buckingham Palace.
In London, he founded "Caitanya Society" and also a Temple Trust. In Germany he was invited and delivered lectures in Berlin University, University of Munich, Bonn University, Leipzig University and various other religios organisations.

In 1937, Srila Prabhupad passed away, and shortly thereafter Swamiji severed his connection with the Institution founded by Prabhupad as it threw itself into eternal strife and litigation.

In 1939, Swamiji was invited to U.S.A. to deliver lectures at University of Washington, University of Chicago, Colombia University, and various other Organisations, Synagogues etc.

Shortly after his return from U.S.A. Swamiji decided to settle in Vrindaban and started construction of his Bhajan Ashram"Bhajan Kutir". While his Ashram was under construction he underwent a hard penance and started his pilgrimage to Himalayas by foot.
On return from his pilgimageSwamiji entered his new Bhajan Kutir, with his Beloved Deities Sri Sri Radhagovinda and engaged himself completely in his spiritual practices.
He secluded himself totally, observing silence, and having selfcooked single meal a day engaged in spiritual practices continually for four years.

At the conclusion of his selfimposed seclusion, Swamiji felt the need of a Theological Institution to train up scolars who would represent Indian Culture and Spiritual Heritage.
Hence he established the "Institute of Oriental Philosophy" a research center on Vaishnabite Philosophy, the only one of its kind in the entire country.
He also established an Intermediate college at Nandagoan, the abode of Nandalala the foster father of Lord Krsna.

He was elected President of Vaishnaba Sadhus at Kumbha and also elected as prefect of Gaudiya Math during the later part of his life.

He revisited the U.S.A., U.K., Germany, France and other European countries, several times thereafter on invitation to spread the Philosophy Of Lord Caitanya to the western world through a language which can reach the majoruty of mankind.

On 7th of July 1982 he responded to the call of the flute-the confluence-the tributary met- nay, lost herself in the ocean of Devotion.

Some Books and Works by Swami Bon

Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhuh
Die Antwort der Religionen (German book by Gerhard Szczesny with 31 questions posed to representatives of the worldreligions. Swami Bon representing Hinduism.)
Gedanken uber den Hinduismus (German)
My First Year in England
My Lectures in England and Germany
Religies antwoorden op eenendertig vragen van Gerhard Szczesny (Dutch translation of "Die Antwort der Religionen")
Second Year of the Gaudiya Mission in Europe
Sree Chaitanya
The Geeta: as a Chaitanyite reads it
The Search