The History of S
rila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada was the first to present the teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu through his disciples and grand disciples to the English speaking world, thereby fulfilling the desire of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
prithivite ache yata nagaradi-grama sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama “The Holy Name of Krishna should be heard in every town and Village on the surface of the earth.” Srila Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaja with Lord Zetlan in London, England, 1934
The spirit of his father and his Guru made Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur a very determined preacher. From the most simple of men, all the way to kings and famous personalities, everyone received the grace of the Sri Gaudiya Math equally. The Gaudiya Math wished to send members out into the world, with the West being one of the destinations of the enthusiastic Gaudiya Math missions. On July 20th, 1933, the Gaudiya Math was officially presented to the King and Queen of England. Not long afterwards, the first European preaching center was established in London (London Glouster House, Cornwall Garden, W7 South Kensington) under the name “Gaudiya Mission Society of London”. Lord Zetland, the English Secretary of State, was the president of this society.
Srila Sadhananda Swami, Srila Bhakti Hridaya Bon Maharaja and Vaman Das
Srila Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaja traveled with Srila Bhakti Pradip Tirtha Maharaja to England and preached there. They established a small center in London, which is still open today. This center was the former London residence of Her Grace Srimati Vinode Vani Dasi, alias Miss Daisy Cecilia Bowtell. This aristocratic British lady kindly donated her home to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur’s original Gaudiya Mission. Srimati Vinode Vani Dasi was an ardent follower of Srila Prabhupada and she became an initiated disciple in the 1930’s after becoming attracted to the beauty, truth, and harmony of the Vaishnava Philosophy. The second European preaching center was opened by Srila Bhakti Hridaya Bon Maharaja in Berlin (W30 Eisenacherstr 29). Later, on October 8th, 1935, some of the first recruits were received with an official reception in the Howrah Station in Calcutta under the chairmanship of the Maharaja of Burdwan, Sri Bijoy Chand Mahatab.
Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj (right) with Srila Bhakti Prañjnan Kesava Maharaj (center)
Srila Bhakti Hridaya Bon Maharaj, also known as Swami Bon Maharaja, was a lifelong celibate. As a brahmacari, he joined Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada and took initiation in the early 1900’s. Because of his good preaching and high education,
1922 – Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada.
1937 - Srila Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaja met with the King and Queen of England at Buckingham Palace. 1939 - Srila Sadhananda Swami forced into internment due to World War II.
1932 – Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja became a formally initiated disciple.
1920
1930 - Srimati Vinode Vani Dasi became an initiated disciple.
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1930
1933 - The Gaudiya Math was officially presented to the King and Queen of England.
1940
1939 - Srila Sadhananda Swami met Austrian Poet Vamana Das in camp.