Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha

On the 5th of February, 1919, at the Appearance Day celebration of Srimati Vishnupriya Devi, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur re-established the Sri Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha and gave a talk on the history of the sabha.
At the end of each of Srila Jiva Gosvami Prabhupada’s Sat-sandarbhas the name of the Sri Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha is inscribed. He wrote that the Visva Vaishnava Raja Sabha refers to the society which is composed of those Vaishnavas who are the kings (the foremost) of all the Vaishnavas present in this world. These foremost Vaishnavas are the followers of the feet of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu Who is the savior of Kali-yuga (the Bestower of knowledge about spiritual relationship), the Bestower of His own method of worship (the Bestower of the means) and Who is the incarnation of Krishna prema, even though He is Sri Krishna Himself, the Embodiment of Krishna prema. The objects of respect for this Sri Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha are Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatana Goswami, who are the associates of Mahaprabhu. Their teachings are the Bhagavata-dharma. These teachings constitute the Bhagavat-sandarbhas or the Sat-sandarbhas. Therefore, the members of the Sri Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha are those people whose hearts have been illuminated by the light of the Sat-sandarbhas.

Srila Sarasvati Thakura explained that when the world suffers misfortune and when there was apathy to such pure knowledge, the sabha conceals itself. After the disappearance of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur and Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana, the sabha was self-concealed for some time.

The famous Calcutta paper Amrita Bazar Patrika reported the event in this way in 1919:

The Sajjana-Toshani carried an essay based on Srila Sarasvati Thakura’s talk, which was published that same year, a portion of which follows:

“On the recent birthday of Sri Vishnupriya many pure devotees joined together at the Calcutta Sri Bhaktivinoda Asana and re-established the Sri Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha. Even though this sabha (society) is eternally established, it has descended into the world three times. Eleven years after the disappearance of Sriman Mahaprabhu, when the world was beginning to darken, six wonderfully bright stars arose in Sri Vraja Mandala and were engaged in the service of Gaurachandra. Apart from these six brilliant stars, there were several other great souls who beautified Sri Gaurachandra’s Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha. They were headed by Srila Lokanatha Goswami, Srila Bhugarva Goswami, and Srila Kasisvara Goswami. Sixty-four dear associates of Sri Gaurasundara increased the beauty of this Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha. The twelve friends of Srila Nityananda Prabhu’s Nama-Hatta was a main branch of this Sri Vishva Vaishnava Raja Sabha.

“Sri Sri Bhagavat Krishna Caitanyadeva is the saviour-incarnation for the age of Kali. He is the Instructor of His own bhajana and of the knowledge of relationship (sambandha-jnana). He is the Delineator of devotion which is the means (abhidheya) and He is the Embodiment of Krishna prema which is the final goal (prayojana). Another name for the devotees of Sri Gaura is ‘Caitanyadeva-carana-anuchara’. Sri Caitanyadeva is Krishnacandra Himself-the King of all the Vaishnavas in the world [Vishva Vaishnava Raja]. The gathering of His devotees is the Sri Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha; the foremost ministers amongst the members of the society are Sri Rupa Goswami and his honoured Sri Sanatana Gosvami. Those who consider themselves to be the followers of Sri Rupa are the members of this Sri Vishva Vaishnava Raja Sabha. The leaders amongst them are Sri Prabhupada Srimad Raghunatha Dasa Goswami and Sri Prabhupada Srimad Jiva Goswami. During the period of misfortune for the world’s inhabitants, after Sri Gaurachandra displayed the play of His disappearance, Srimad Jiva Prabhu preached the Sri Bhagavata dharma by the command of Sri Rupa-Sanatana. The people who were accepted as disciples by Sri Rupa-Sanatana the leaders of the sabha, later became the directors of the sabha. Sri Jiva Prabhupada, upon becoming the director of the sabha, termed the teachings which Sri Rupa had propagated in the sabha as the ‘Bhagavata-sandarbhas’ or ‘Sat-sandarbhas’. The members of the Sri Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha know these Sat-sandarbhas to be the teachings of Sri Rupa-Sanatana and thus engage themselves in Sri Hari-bhajana. The pure and transcendental method of worship which has been given by Shrimad Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami (one of the leaders of the Shri Visva-vaishnava-raja-sabha) by bearing the commands of Sri Rupa on his head, is the only thing adorable by the devotees of Sri Gaura. By taking shelter at the pure feet of Shri Rupa and Shri Raghunatha, Shripada Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami Prabhu-the king of the family of rasika devotees (those devotees who are able to comprehend the inner significance), became one of the directors of the Sri Vishva Vaishnava Raja Sabha. Again, Sri Narottama Thakur Mahodaya, the crest jewel of transcendental devotees, decorated the crown of this Vaishnava Raj Sabha in the post of its director. Later, such kings of devotees as Sri Sripada Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur spread their moon-like rays upon the sabha. The darkness of night cannot always predominate over the three-worlds which are covered by ignorance, therefore we sometimes behold shining stars in the spiritual firmament which is bathed in the moon-like rays of Sri Gaurachandra.

“In 399 Gaura Era (1885 A. D.), a brilliant star of the universal Vaishnava firmament re-illuminated the ri Vishva Vaishnava Raja Sabha. During that period many people in the great city of Calcutta received light from this sabha. As a result of that light, the sight of the cooling rays of Sri Gaurachandra reflected in loving eyes is nowadays visible in this world. Just as autumnal clouds suddenly spread in the sky and cover the moon’s rays, so materialistic, non-Vaishnavas in the dress of Vaishnavas cause hindrances to that transcendental light in society. Today, it is four years since the servant of the King of universal Vaishnavas and the leader of the followers of Sri Rupa departed from this world, and sometimes his light is becoming covered by mist; seeing this, the group of people sheltered at the feet of the followers of Sri Rupa have become firmly resolved to protect the light of discourses on Hari from the strong gale.

“The transcendental flower of Krishna-prema that was budded forth by the Acharyas headed by Sri Rupa, Raghunatha and Jiva was shown to the world as a blossom by Srimad Bhaktivinode Thakura and after his disappearance it has begun to fully bloom. The followers of Sri Rupa have protected that beautiful and fragrant flower from the attack of depraved people and have thus given aid to the olfactory function of the bees swarming at Sri Gaura’s feet. In this connection we request everybody to read the Adi Lila, ninth chapter of the Sri Caitanya-caritamrita composed by the king of rasika devotees about the divine loving activities of the Gardener Sri Caitanya.”

Although the language of the article is a bit flowery, it clearly describes the history of the parampara since the time of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and aligns the purpose of the Society with the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as it was revealed through the Six Goswamis, headed by Srila Sanatana and Srila Rupa Goswamis, and as it descended through Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, Sri Jiva Goswami, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana and re-vitalized by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. So the parampara, or line of preceptorial descent, is not strictly presented as a line of diksha, but rather more as a line of the siksha of mahajanas, who have perfectly realized and are presenting the original teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in their purest form.

Following the re-institution of the Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha, a large meeting was held at the Bengal Literary Society to honor Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and many famous speakers honored him on that occasion. On Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Appearance Day an enormous festival was held for him at the Asana, at which time 1200 kilograms of rice were prepared, and thousands were served prasadam. It was observed by Srila Sarasvati Thakura’s followers that after that occasion there was never any lack of funds or other hindrances to any of his plans or desires. Whatever he desired was seen to manifest. This is a good example of the power of guru-puja. By properly honoring the pure representative of Godhead, the grace of the Lord is invoked, and all success is bound to follow.

After the departure of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada, the Gaudiya Math and several of their later branches expand into multiple Vaisnava missions. ISKCON, founded by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami branches out into several new missions, while within Iskcon many Acaryas start to function simultaneously.
Several members of the Vaisnava Community meet in Vrindavan with B.V. Tripurari Swami, B.G. Narasingha Swami and B.A. Paramadvaiti Swami to discuss the possibility of founding the World Vaishnava Association, following the principles os Sri Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha. The idea is very enthusiastically received but for a lack of time and clear ideas postponed to 1993.
Meeting again in 1993 they decided to approach the most senior Vaisnava on the planet to bless and guide this attempt. Originally reluctant, due to his advanced age of 97 years and due to his humility, Srila B.P. Puri Maharaj finally agrees to become the President of the WVA and thus help to unite the so many Vaisnavas and their missions. He also proposes to invite all the Acaryas and leading Preachers and Sannyasys to co-found the WVA, rather then starting it amongst a very few and then invite all the others.

Following his guidance a Premiere edition of the World Vaisnava Association Newsletter was published in February 1994 and widely distributed to all Vaisnava Acaryas in the family of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. This publication invited everyone to sent in their suggestions on how such a Vaisnava Forum could be created and to participate.
We published all suggestions as we received them and we gave all Acaryas the chance to go over all the suggestions.

Every Acarya who filled out the proposals and his own presentation sheet duly signed, became a Founding member of the WVA.
On the 14th of November 1994 the first Foundation meeting was celebrated in Vrindavan in the Modi Bhavan at 3 PM. 120 persons attended and 28 Acaryas and Sannyasis qualified as founding members.