His Holiness Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj was born in 1924 in
Assam, India, on
Rama-navami, the most auspicious appearance day of Lord Ramachandra. Having been brought up in a pious environment, he developed a strong inclination to search for truth, which led him to take up the study of philosophy at
Calcutta University.
After completing his MA in philosophy in 1947, he came in contact with his spiritual master, Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaj, and immediately became attracted by his divine and powerful personality. Srila Madhava Maharaj was one of the foremost followers of the illustrious preceptor of the pure devotional school of
bhakti yoga, Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Thakur. From that time onward, Srila Tirtha Maharaj completely dedicated his life to the service of his guru. Soon he became secretary of the devotional institution Sri Caitanya
Gaudiya Math, which has over twenty ashrams in India alone. As one of Madhava Maharaj’s first sannyasa disciples, he took the vow of renunciation in 1961.
After the disappearance of Srila Madhava Goswami Maharaj in 1979, Srila Tirtha Maharaj was appointed his successor as acharya of the Math. During his lifetime, he received the blessings and intimate association of many of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s prominent followers, such as Srila Bhakti Promode Pūri Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Hridoy Bon Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Rakshaka Sridhar Maharaj, Akinchana Krishna Das Babaji Maharaj and many others.
For the last five decades, Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj has been engaged in preaching the philosophy of
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to counter the modern trend toward violence and cruelty, and to bring about unity of hearts among all, irrespective of race, creed or religion. Srila
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj had requested Srila Tirtha Maharaj to accompany him to the USA just prior to his launching of the Krishna consciousness movement in the west in 1965. As he was engaged in the service of his Gurudeva as secretary of Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Math at that time, Srila Tirtha Maharaj humbly declined. Since 1997, however, at the request of Srila Bhakti Promode Pūri Maharaj, he has been traveling the globe several months a year, enlivening all who come in contact with his humble, sweet personality extraordinary kirtan and message of divine love. To date, his preaching travels outside India have taken him around the world, including the UK, Holland, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Russia, the Ukraine, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hawaii and throughout the continental US. Everyone is attracted by his eloquent, insightful and, most of all, purely devotional discourses.
During his US tour in 1997 His Holiness Srila Tirtha Maharaj addressed the
United Nations’“
World Peace Prayer Society,” and “World Conference on Religion and Peace” in New York City, offering them a succinct outline for world peace based upon the spiritual tenets of the ancient Vedas. His preaching programs over the past years have also included many interesting dialogues with prominent Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Hindu and Baha’i theologians, in such diverse settings as universities, interfaith groups, churches, Hindu temples and a wide variety of metaphysical and private educational centers. All are invariably won over by his gentle and affectionate nature, combined with his resolute faith in Guru, Vaishnava and Bhagavan. He has also spoken on the sublime teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu on many radio and television programs, including a thought provoking interview on BBC radio in 2000, which was broadcast worldwide.
In addition to his role as acharya of Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Math, Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj serves as the acharya of GOKUL (Global Organization of Krishnachaitanya’s Universal Love), which he founded in 1997. He has also served as vice-president of the World Vaishnava Association (WVA). Working eighteen hours a day he is incessantly engaged in the service of humanity as a teacher of Vedic wisdom and the philosophy of bhakti yoga. He is presently engaged in writing articles and books in his native languages as well as in English. To date, his English publications include the books Šuddha Bhakti, Sages of Ancient India, A Taste of Transcendence and Sri Chaitanya: His Life and Associates.
