Acārya Kesarī desired to give sannyāsa to his three foremost disciples—Sajjana-sevaka, Rādhānātha, and Gaura Nārāyaṇa. Although he had previously requested Sajjana-sevaka and Rādhānātha to accept sannyāsa, they had humbly declined, feeling unqualified in comparison to the eminent sannyāsa disciples of Prabhupāda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
One day, Ācārya Kesarī sat in the company of his dear godbrother, Śrīpāda Sanātana Prabhu. Gurudeva sat at their feet as they discussed arrangements for the upcoming Navadvīpa Parikramā in 1952.
When their conversation was concluding, Ācārya Kesarī looked over to Gaura Nārāyaṇa and said, “I wish to initiate you into the renounced order of sannyāsa. Many people do not understand the prema-dharma of Mahāprabhu. I am overjoyed that you have fully accepted the inner mood and heart’s desire of Mahāprabhu, and I am confident that you are able to spread these esoteric teachings throughout the world.”
Having completely surrendered himself already, Gurudeva caught hold of Ācārya Kesarī’s feet and began to weep. He said, “I have given up all attachment to my past family. I completely submit myself at your lotus feet. You can give me the veṣa (dress) of sannyāsa, or order me to do anything as you please. I am yours, and shall do as you wish.”
Beaming in satisfaction, Ācārya Kesarī called Sajjana-sevaka and Rādhānātha. “Gaura Nārāyaṇa is fully surrendered and prepared to take sannyāsa,” he said. “When he does, will you bow down to him with respect, even though you are senior by years in the temple?” Hearing Ācārya Kesarī’s sweet, joking words and understanding his desire, Sajjana-sevaka and Rādhānātha Prabhu agreed to accept sannyāsa.
On Gaura Pūrṇimā day in 1952, Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja bestowed the sannyāsa-mantra and cloth to his three beloved disciples. Sajjana-sevaka became renowned as Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Mahārāja, Rādhānātha as Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Mahārāja, and Gaura Nārāyaṇa as Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja.
It was the first time Ācāryadeva had given sannyāsa to anyone. The title he bestowed upon his sannyāsīs is unprecedented and has deep significance. Ācārya Kesarī established that the true objective of Vedānta, otherwise known as the Brahma-sūtras, is to illuminate the path of bhakti-yoga. The 550 aphorisms of Vedānta are the essence of the 1100 Upaniṣads, which are the cream of the Vedas. The purpose of the Vedic scriptures is to enable one to transcend the cycle of birth and death by awakening unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa. Hence, Ācārya Kesarī gave the title Bhaktivedānta to spread awareness that the conclusion of Vedānta is bhakti.
When Vyāsadeva composed the Vedānta-sūtras, he knew that future preceptors would write commentaries to promote their own ideologies, minimizing the importance of pure bhakti. Therefore he composed the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as the natural commentary and true purport of Vedānta. He mentioned this in other Vedic scriptures, such as the Garuḍa-purāṇa, which states:
artho ‘yaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇāṁ bhāratārtha-vinirṇayaḥ gāyatrī-bhāṣya-rūpo ‘sau vedārtha-paribṛṁhitaḥ
The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam elucidates the meaning of the Brahma-sūtra, and explains the import of Mahābhārata. It is a natural commentary on the gāyatrī-mantra, and is the essence of all the Vedas.
The Vedas, Upaniṣads, and especially Vedānta-sūtra prescribe devotion to Kṛṣṇa. The word jñāna (knowledge) has not been mentioned even once throughout the 550 aphorisms of Vedānta. The aphorism ‘janmādyasya yataḥ’ clearly states that the Supreme Person is the creator, maintainer, and destroyer of this cosmic manifestation. This proves the divine existence of His form, potency, and transcendental qualities. The aphorism ‘arūpavad eva hi tat pradhānatvāt’ describes the transcendental form of the Supreme Person. The aphorism ‘ānandamayo ‘bhyāsyāt’ confirms the pleasurable pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and His beloveds, and the aphorism ‘anāvṛtti śabdād anāvṛtti śabdāt’ states that the only process to attain the Supreme Truth is through nāma-saṅkīrtana, congregational chanting of the holy names.
Vedānta indicates the final conclusion of all the Vedas, which is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The conclusion of the Bhāgavatam is rāsa-līlā. A Bhaktivedānta is he who is qualified to give entrance into the topics of rāsa-līlā, which is the process through which the soul will gain entrance into the love dance of the gopīs with Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Only in the line of Ācārya Kesarī are the sannyāsīs given the title Bhaktivedānta.
[Excerpted from the Bhakta Bandhav Publication “Sri Guru Darsana”]