View source for In 1918, my Guru Maharaja (Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura) started with this mission one institution known as Gaudiya Math. Perhaps some of you know the name Gaudiya Math. And he was trying to spread this message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

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{{terms|"in 1918, my Guru Mahārāja started with this mission one institution known as Gauḍīya Math. Perhaps some of you know the name Gauḍīya Math. And he was trying to spread this message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu"}}
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[[Category:Devotees of God Try Their Best to Spread the Cult of Caitanya]]
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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Festival Lectures</h3>
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My Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, attempted to fulfill the desire of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And sometimes. . . In the year 1918, he was brahmacārī, and Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, his material father, he wanted. . . Actually, he wanted, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Of course, everyone wanted. But he wrote one small book, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Teachings and Precepts of Lord Caitanya, in 1896. And he presented that book to the McGill University in Canada. And he very much desired that the foreigners, especially Americans, would join this movement. That was his desire in 1896. And then, in 1918, my Guru Mahārāja started with this mission one institution known as Gauḍīya Math. Perhaps some of you know the name Gauḍīya Math. And he was trying to spread this message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and by chance or by prediction, as you think, I was taken to Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura by one of my friends.
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[[Vanisource:750302 - Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Atlanta|750302 - Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Atlanta]]
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all over the world, as many towns and villages are there, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu predicted that His mission will be spread. This prediction was made by Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally five hundred years ago.

So perhaps my Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, attempted to fulfill the desire of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And sometimes. . . In the year 1918, he was brahmacārī, and Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, his material father, he wanted. . . Actually, he wanted, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Of course, everyone wanted. But he wrote one small book, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Teachings and Precepts of Lord Caitanya, in 1896. And he presented that book to the McGill University in Canada. And he very much desired that the foreigners, especially Americans, would join this movement. That was his desire in 1896. And then, in 1918, my Guru Mahārāja started with this mission one institution known as Gauḍīya Math. Perhaps some of you know the name Gauḍīya Math. And he was trying to spread this message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and by chance or by prediction, as you think, I was taken to Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura by one of my friends. I did not want to go there, but he forcibly took me there. Yes. And he ordered me that "You preach the cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu in English language. This is very much essential." On the first meeting he told me like that. That was my first meeting with him. At that time I was in favor of Gandhi's movement. So I said that "We are, I mean to say, not independent—subjugated. Who will hear about our message?" So Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura refuted my argument. I was very much pleased. I had so many talks. But I was very much pleased to be defeated, that "This so-called nationalism or any 'ism,' they are all temporary. Real need is the self-realization."

So I was convinced. But at that time, although he wanted me to immediately join him and spread this movement, so at that time I was a married man, young man. I was married in 1918. And I got a son also at that time, 1921. And in 1922 I met him. At that time I was manager in a big chemical factory. So I thought that "I am married man. I have got so many responsibilities. How I can join immediately? It is not my duty." Of course, that was my mistake. I should have joined immediately. (laughter) I should have taken the opportunity immediately. But māyā is there. So I thought like that. So that's a long history. Then in 1954. . . no, not 1954, 1968, when I was fifty-four years old. . . Nineteen hundred fifty-four, yes. Nineteen hundred fifty-four, I was at that time fifty-eight years. So I left home, and I was living alone. Then, 1958, I took sannyāsa, and then I decided to take up the responsibility of my Guru Mahārāja. I thought that "My other Godbrothers are trying, so I am not capable to do it. They are better situated." But somehow or other, they could not do very much, appreciative activities, in this connection.

So when I was seventy years old I decided, "Now I must do and execute the order of my Guru Mahārāja. And thus this movement was started in 1965 from New York. And I was not very much hopeful, because it is very difficult task, just opposite the European and Western culture. I came. . . When I first came, I had no money. So I got a free passage through some Indian steam navigation company. So I came by ship. So when I was on the ship at Boston port, Commonwealth port, I was thinking that "I have come here. I do not know what is the purpose, because how the people will accept this movement? They are differently educated, and as soon as I'll say, 'So, my dear sir, you have to give up meat-eating and illicit sex and no intoxication and gambling,' they will say, 'Please go home.' " (laughter)

Because that was the experience of one of my Godbrother. He went to London, and he had the opportunity to talk with one big man, Marquis of Zetland. Marquis of Zetland was formerly governor of Bengal. At that time I was student. He was Scotsman, and I was student of the Scottish Churches' College. So he came to see our college, and he was standing in front of me in the second-year class. So he was very nice, good gentleman. So he proposed to my Godbrother, "Whether you can make me a brāhmaṇa?" So my Godbrother proposed, "Yes, we can make anyone brāhmaṇa provided you follow this principle: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling." So that Lord Zetland immediately replied, "Impossible." (laughter) So I was thinking that "I will propose something which is impossible. Anyway, let me try."
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