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About Mahamandaleshwar Mahant Sri Krsna Balaram Swami (By Dr. Vijay K. Parmar from the Institute for advanced study, Princeton, USA) Mahant Sri Krsna Balaram Swami appeared in a family of enlightened Gauda-Brahmana Vaisnavas who scrutinize the Yajurveda, one of the four highly recognized ancient Vedas. He appeared in Sri Vrindaban Dhama, the most holy place in India on July 1, 1956. His birth dynasty dates directly to Kasyapa Muni (one of the seven mentally conceived sons of the first created being in this universe, Lord Brahma). Swami's birth dynasty is famous as Khajiri (connected to a date tree) because his forefathers would bless the kings. Once the king was not available so the Brahmana blessed a dried date tree which was standing outside the king's palace. By the potency of Brahmana's blessings the dried date tree came alive. Since then this dynasty is known as Khajiri. As an ancient statement goes: KHAJIRI CITKITI PANDA PANI GRAHI KHEMUNDAYAH "There are five categories of Brahmanas in this world who are known as Khajiri, Citkitipanda, Pani, Grahi and Khemundas or others." His birth place was in the shadow of an ancient Krsna Balaram temple in Nandagrama, the principle village of Vrindaban and the place where Lord Sri Krsna Himself performed His transcendental childhood pastimes some five thousand years ago.  Mahant Sri Krsna Balaram Swami acquired the necessary spiritual guidance from his childhood from his father, Sri Hare Krishna Pandeya who himself is one of the renowned Sanskrit scholars, astrologer and spiritual master of thousands of householders in the Vrindaban area. Father of Mahant Sri Krsna Balaram Swami did not want him to be influenced by the materialism in the public schools, so he personally tutored him at home, giving special attention to teaching him in the memorization of Sanskrit verses from the Amara-kosha dictionary that dealt with the many schools of Indian Vedic philosophy. When Mahant Krsna Balaram Swami turned eight, his father enrolled him in Vrindaban’s renowned Nimbarka Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, where he became fluent in Sanskrit and later transferred to the English college. After receiving initiation from his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, who also comes in the unbroken chain of spiritual masters from the Supreme Lord, Mahant Sri Krsna Balaram Swami began his illustrious career as one of India’s greatest proponents of spirituality. As a Sanyasi or renounced person in the spiritual order, Mahant Sri Krsna Balaram Swami has written many books in English and Sanskrit on the topic of ancient Vedic philosophy. Recognized as an unparalleled authority on Vedic knowledge the title of Mahant or High Priest was bestowed upon him in 1991 by all four Vaisnava Sampradayas or schools of Vaisnavism. It should be known that Mahant Sri Krsna Balaram Swami and the society he founded in 1990: Bhagavat Dharma Samaj is the only recognized and authentic Vaisnava Sampradaya outside of India offering unchanged and authentic spiritual knowledge and teachings. The ancient scriptures glorify the Vrajavasis or those who are born and raised in the Vrindaban area. One of the Vedic authorities Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura categorises the Vrajavasis thus: VRJE JANMA PRAUDHAT, VRNDABANE GURU PADASRYAT, ANYADESE JANMITO'PI NIRANTARA VASACCA. (Bhaktirasamrta-sindhu-vindu) "There are three categories of Vrajavasis those who take birth and grow up in the Vrindaban area; those take initiation there from a Vrjavasi and those who, although born outside, live there the rest of their life. Among which the first category is the best." As A Vrjavasi and Brahmana born Vaisnava, Mahant Sri Krsna Balaram Swami is the only authentic and vedicly qualified spiritual master disciple of his Guru Srila Prabhupada. As one of the very favorite devotee’s of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabu, Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura states the following about the value of Vrajavasis in his writing, Sri Vrindaban Mahimamrtam: VARNANAM BRAHMANO GURUH BRAHMANANAM GURU SANYASI SANYASINAM GURUH AVINASI AVINASINAM GURUH VRJAVASI "The Brahmin is the Guru of all the sections of the society, the Sanyasi is the Guru of Brahmanas, the perfected being is the Guru of the Sanyasis and the Vrajavasi is the Guru of the perfected beings." Therefore in short, it is incumbent for every intelligent person in this world to search for the best and the most qualified spiritual master in order to receive guaranteed and swift spiritual elevation. Connection with authentic and scripturally qualified spiritual master is the secret of success in spiritual life. www.krsna.org |
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