All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga
Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Welcome
to the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Home Page. The Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math is a Holy Temple of Pure Devotion, established in 1941 in Sri Navadwip Dham, West Bengal, India, by His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Sri Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Maharaj.

At the time of its humble beginning, the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math was no more than a thatched hut on the banks of the Ganges river, yet Srila Sridhar Maharaj composed the following verse, mysteriously predicting the future greatness of the Math:

srimac-caitanya-sarasvata-mathavara-udgita-kirtir jaya-srim
bibhrat sambhati ganga-tata-nikata-navadvipa-koladri-raje
yatra sri-gaura-sarasvata-mata-nirata-gaura-gatha grnanti
nityam rupanuga sri-krtamati-guru-gauranga-radha-jitasa
In the Holy Abode of transcendental touchstone,
Sri Nabadwip Dham, the selfsame Sri Vrndavan,
In the land of Koladwip, whose inner identity
Is the King of mountains Sri Govardhan,
Near the charming shores of the holy River Bhagirathi
Who delivers all the fallen souls,
Stands that grand and glorious King of all Temples -
Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math.

In that beautiful retreat, the surrendered devotees
Whose lives are the message of Sri Gaura
Are eternally absorbed in the loving service
Of the Divine Master, the Golden Lord Gauranga,
And the Loving Lord Sri Govindasundar,
With His consort Srimati Gandharva,
Accompanied by all their beloved associates.

With hearts always filled with good hope to attain the grace of the Lord,
Following faithfully in the line of Sri Sri Rupa and Raghunath -
The storekeepers of the unlimited treasure of pure, sweet Love Divine -
Those surrendered souls ever sing the unending glories
Of the transcendental name and qualities of the most magnanimous,
Original Supreme Lord, Sri Sri Gaurangasundar.

Indeed the hearts of all beings, moving and still,
Marvel in the glory of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math
As they take shelter in the soothing, affectionate shade
of the victory flag that flies aloft and sings wholeheartedly to the world
The ever-expanding renown of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math;
bearing that banner of all transcendental benedictions,
Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math ever shines resplendent
In all its divine magnificence.

[From the Bengali translation by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj - rendered into English by Sripad B.A. Sagar Maharaj.]

That prophecy has been fulfilled, for today the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math is venerated throughout the world as a sacred place of worship, and has become a holy place of pilgrimage for all sincere Vaishnava devotees seeking entrance into the Land of Dedication and Surrender.

Since his departure from this world in 1988, Srila Sridhar Maharaj and the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math have been represented by Srila Sridhar Maharaj's chosen successor and dear disciple, our President Acharya, His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Sri Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj.


How The Math Got Its Name
A Math [pronounced "maa-th"] is a place that is dedicated to the development of spiritual values and service to the Supreme Lord and His devotees. When choosing the name "Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math," Srila Sridhar Maharaj reasoned that although our Sampradaya [line of disciplic succession] is the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya, the main identification of our Sampradaya is with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and the name of Srila Sridhar Maharaj's Spiritual Master who revitalized and firmly established our Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya is Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupad; so to cover from beginning to end the identification of the whole Sampradaya, Srila Sridhar Maharaj chose the name Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math as the name of his Temple and Mission.

Sri Navadwip Dham
The holy land of Navadwip is [outwardly] about seventy-five miles north of Calcutta, and is famous for being the place of the Appearance and Pastimes of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj says: "Here in Navadwip, we find a happy place where the Absolute is the most generous in His benevolence. When the Absolute is distributing Himself, He becomes Sri Chaitanyadev. And that Sri Chaitanyadev, in the highest stage of His mercy, is found here."


International Centers
The Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math has more than 50 International Centers in countries around the world, including the U.S.A., Mexico and England. Please also visit the Home Page of the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram, the California, U.S.A. Headquarters of the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math.

Books and Publications
The Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math is a prolific publisher of books, periodicals, newsletters, and other publications. Books by Srila Govinda Maharaj, Srila Sridhar Maharaj, and other Gaudiya Vaishnava Acharyas have been published in fifteen languages and widely distributed throughout the world. Please see the extensive Book List for publications that are available from the Math and its affiliated centers. Also available, is a description of some of the many English Books and Newsletters published by the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math and its branches worldwide.

Online: Here are a few excerpts, pages, and chapters from books by and about Srila Sridhar Maharaj and Srila Govinda Maharaj which you can read now:

  • Sri Sri Prapanna Jivanamrtam - Positive and Progressive Immortality: Srila Sridhar Maharaj tells us what inspired him to write this devotional treatise on the subject of surrender, and Srila Govinda Maharaj tells us why this book is so important, and why we should read it first: "If you read this book carefully, you will get everything."
  • The Search For Sri Krishna - Reality The Beautiful: Two chapters from the book that introduced Srila Sridhar Maharaj to the West.
  • The Introduction to Sri Guru and His Grace, written by Srila Sridhar Maharaj.
  • A Tragedy of Separation: Nimai Pandit enters the renounced order of life and receives the name "Sri Krishna Chaitanya." This chapter is taken from Srila Sridhar Maharaj's book, The Golden Volcano of Divine Love.
  • The Introduction to Loving Search For The Lost Servant, by Srila Sridhar Maharaj.
  • Intelligently Aware - This page is taken from Chapter Seven of Srila Sridhar Maharaj's book, Sermons of the Guardian of Devotion - Volume III. Here Srila Guru Maharaj explains the meaning of the word anartha.
  • Srila Guru Maharaj Remembers: Excerpts from Srila Sridhar Maharaj's biography, Srila Guru Maharaj - His Divine Pastimes and Precepts in Brief.
  • Life's Destination - From Chapter 5 of The Benedictine Tree of Divine Aspiration. This is a lecture given by Srila Govinda Maharaj to college students in Mauritius during his World Tour in 1993.
  • The Math Logo is explained by Srila Govinda Maharaj in a short chapter taken from his book, Golden Reflections.

Please also see select Quotations taken from the books of Srila Sridhar Maharaj and Srila Govinda Maharaj.


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