Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana was born in the early part of the 18th
century (1720-1790) in a village near Remuna, Balasore District of Orissa.
Even though he was the son of a 'vaisya' (farmer), in his youth he received
a very thorough education in 'Sanskrit', rhetoric, logic and Vaisnava scripture.
He accepted 'sannyasa' into the 'Madhwa-sampradaya' at a very young age,
and stayed at Jagannatha Puri. He became a renowned scholar and travelled
around India to all the holy places. During his travels Baladeva came to
Puri in Orissa (Utkala), and met with one disciple of the famous Rasikananda
Prabhu of the name Sri Radha Damodara Deva Goswami (1710-1760 A.D.). It
was to the surprise of everyone that Baladeva was converted to Gaudiya
Vaisnavism by Radha Damodara Deva Goswami, who first explained the philosophy
of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in accordance with the tenants of Vedanta Sutra
and Srimad Bhagavatam, then initiated him as his formal disciple. Under
his direction he studied Jiva Goswami's Sat-Sandarbha, and he quickly became
prominent in all intellectual circles.
This Radha Damodar Deva Goswami, although not promenent as a
member of the 'parampara' he wrote Vedanta Syamantaka in six chapters dealing
with the 'Pramanas' to be accepted, the five 'Prameyas' viz. Gos, Jivas,
Prakrti, Time and Karma, and quotes Madhwacarya prolifically(Brahama Sutra
Bhasya, page 14.), and pleads vigoursly for the distinction of the Jivas
and 'Brahman' and repudiates the doctrine of 'Avacyatva' of 'Brahman' (page
21.).(B.N.K. Sharma. History of the Dvaita School of Vedanta. page 528.).
There is an interesting story which shows the surrendered mood of Baladeva
and his sincere desire to please his spiritual masters.
Once, when Visvanatha Cakravati was too old to travel, he sent
Baladeva to a conference to represent Gaudiya Vaisnavism. Baladeva was
required to prove the validity of Gaudiya Vaisnavism to the rest of the
Vaisnava community from a scriptural point of view, and thus become duly
authorized to speak on matters pertaining to rituals ('puja') and Vaisnava
religion. Though he was preaching furiously no-one was prepared to accept
his statements according to Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy, although sufficient
evidence was there. The reason others would not accept his statements was
because there was no established commentary of Brahma Sutra or Vedanta
Sutra to support Gaudiya Vaisnavism at that time. Some were saying that
in every other 'sampradaya' the founding or reforming 'acarya' had made
some form of commentary on Vedanta Sutra - Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhwa, Vallabha,
etc. Even though Lord Caitanya explained Vedanta Sutra (Caitanya Caritamrta,
Adi Lila, 7:138-146.) touching the main subject matter, nothing was written.
Some members of the Sri Sampradaya (the 'Ramanandis') began to raise this argument in the court of the King at Jaipur. They complained that as the Gaudiya Vaisnavas had no commentary on the Vedanta Sutra, they were not qualified to worship the Deity, and therefore all of the worship should be turned over to the Sri Sampradaya. They also objected to the worship of Srimati Radharani along with Sri Govinda and Sri Gopinatha as not being authorised anywhere in the shastras.
The king, Sadacari Raja, was initiated within the 'Gaudiya-Sampradaya'.
Thus he quietly sent word to Vrindavan, informing the devotees there of
what had happened. At the same time the king was obliged to remove Radharani
temporarily from the Deity room, as well as to suspend the Bengali Gaudiya
Vaisnava pujaris from partaking in the Deity worship.
As we have just stated, at that time Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada
was very aged, so it was not possible for him to make the arduous journey
to Jaipur. In his place he sent his student, Sri Baladeva, who was fully
conversant with the 'shastras' and thus able to competently face the challenge.
In a great assembly he posed such forceful arguments to the followers of
Ramanuja (the Ramanandis) that they could not reply to them. He further
explained to them, "The originator of the Gaudiya Vaisnava 'sampradaya',
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has accepted Srimad Bhagavatam as the natural
commentary on the Vedanta Sutra, as composed by Srila Vyasadeva Himself.
This is proven in the Sat-sandarbha." Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami
has commented on this point saying that, "The reason that Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu didn't make a commentary on the Vedanta Sutra was because they
came in the line through Vyasa to Madhwa, who had already made their commentaries,
so why should they make theirs. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the Goswamis
were quite happy to follow in the footsteps of the previous Acaryas."(A.C.Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada. NY Jan 67 San Francisco, C.C. Madhya Lila 22:21/28.).
The scholars in the assembly however refused to accept anything other
than a direct commentary on the Vedanta sutra. Having no other recourse,
Baladeva promised to present them with one. They gave Baladeva eighteen
days to have his commentary ready for discussion. The mood of the Ramanandis
was quite aggressive, much like "Put up or shut up," which made Baladeva
transcendentally anxious.
Feeling very aggrieved in this manner, Sri Baladeva took shelter
of the Lord and came to Sri Govindaji's temple in Jaipur. After offering
his prostrated obeisances, he informed Sri Govinda of everything that had
happened. That night a wonderful thing happened, the Lord appeared to him
in a dream and instructed him to write a commentary on the Vedanta sutra.
The Lord said, "You just write, and I will dictate to you what to write,
and therefore no one will be able to refuse to accept it."
Having seen such a wonderful dream, Srila Baladeva was totally
enlivened and felt renewed strength flow into his heart. Thus he began
to write, and within a few days completed the commentary which was titled
'Sri Govinda Bhasya'.
vidya rupam bhusanam me pradaya kyatim nitya tena
yo mamudarah
sri govinda svapna nirdista bhaso radha bandhubandhurangah
sa jiyat
"May He Who so mercifully and munificently was kind towards me, and
bestowed His favour by ordering me in a dream to
write down His own commentary, which He would compose, and which attained
such renown amongst the learned circles that they bestowed upon me the
title 'Vidyabhusana'; may that dear friend of Srimati Radharani, who holds
Him dearer than Her own life, be glorified. May that Sri Govinda be glorified."
Bringing the commentary with him, Srila Baladeva again came
to the assembly of the Ramanandi scholars. After reading the commentary
they were simply speechless. Thus the victory of the 'Gaudiya-sampradaya'
was announced far and wide, and the king, as well as the other devotees,
began to float in the ocean of bliss. This assembly took place in the year
1628 Sakabda, at Golta near the present city of Jaipur.
Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana installed the Deity of Vijaya Gopala there
at Golta Temple, but the whereabouts of this Deity are at present not known.
From this day on, the Maharaja of Jaipur announced, "Sri Govinda's 'arati'
would be performed first, and then the other temples could perform their
'aratis'."
It is always we have found, best to keep one's words sweet.
As you never know when you will have to swallow them! Thus after accepting
defeat, the Ramanandi scholars expressed their desire to accept initiation
from Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana. However he declined their request by stating
that amongst the four authorized 'sampradayas', the 'Sri Sampradaya' was
highly
respectable and the foremost adherent of 'dasya-bhakti' (devotional
service in the mood of servitorship). If there was any cause of loss of
respect to the sampradaya this might be considered an offence. In this
way he would not initiate them.
Returning from Jaipur to Vrindavan, Sri Baladeva presented the
certificate of victory to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura
and narrated all of the events that had transpired. All the devotees
were in great ecstasy to receive this news and Cakravarti bestowed his
full blessings on Sri Baladeva. At this time, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana
began to write a commentary on Srila Jiva Gosvami's Sat Sandarbha.
The Deities of Sri Jaya and Sri Vijaya Govinda, residing at Gokulananda
Mandira in Vrindavan, were worshiped by Baladeva Vidyabhusana personally.
According to the opinion of some devotees, the Deities of Syamananda Prabhu,
Sri Sri Radha - Syamasundara, were installed by Sri Baladeva Vidybhusana.
After Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura finished his pastimes
in this world, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana became the next 'acarya' of the
'Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya'. At the end of Radha Damodar Deva's Vedanta
Syamantaka Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana acknowledges his spiritual master
thusly: "I have been sent here to Vrindavan by one 'brahmana guru', Sri
Radha-Damodara Deva, to present a composition named Vedanta Syamantaka,
composed by his mercy for the pleasure of Srimati Radharani."
Srila Baladeva Vidybhusana became known later as Sri Govinda dasa. He had two well known disciples - Sri Vidya dasa and Sri Nandan Misra, but many others also.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana lived by the meaning of the following verse, knowing everything that had come to him was only the Lord's mercy, and all that he had achieved was by that same grace.
vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedanta-krd veda-vid eva
caham
"By all the Vedas I am to be known, indeed I am the compiler of the Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas."(Bhagavad Gita 15:15.)
Some of Baladeva Vidyabhusana's most important works are:
1. Govinda-Bhasya, which is Vedanta Sutra commentary (and three other
works dealing with the Brahma sutras of Vyasa.*
2. Siddhanta-Ratna,
3. Vedanta-Syamantaka
4. Prameya Ratnavali*
5. Siddhanta-Darpana (Siddhantaratna was to reinforce Govinda Bhasya.)
6. Aisvarya Kadambini
7. Samhitya Kaumudi
8. Chandah-Kaustubha
9. Kavya Kaustubha
10. Bhagavad Gita Bhasya
11. Vaisnavanandini Tika (commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam)
12. The Ten Upanishads, commentaries on each.
He also wrote commentaries on previous 'acarya's' works which are:
12. Tattva Sandarbha
13. Stana Mala
14. Gopala Tapani
15. Visnu Sahasra Nama
16. Laghu Bhagavatamrta
17. Nataka Candrika
18. Syamananda Sataka
In each of his works he bows to first to Sri Rupa and Sanatan calling
them "veritable clouds in dispelling the dustorms of 'mayavad'(B.N.K. Sharma.
1986. History of the Dvaita Scool of Vedanta. page 530.)
In Baladeva's writings, his mood or 'rasa' is a mixture of 'sakhya'
(friendship), 'dasya' (servitorship) and 'vatsalya' (parental love of Godhead),
showing his roots in the Madhwa line. In his works he not only quotes the
Goswami literature of the Guadiya line, but prolofically cites the works
of Madhwa(Brahma Sutra iii:2:28; iv:4:19.) and Vyasa Tirtha, taking his
presentation of 'Visesha' from Vyasa Tirtha's Nyayamrta(Dr. Nandi.; B.N.K.
Sharma. History of the Dvaita School of Vedanta. page 530-531.), despite
B.N.K. Sharma's squirming, and despirate refusal to accept that Baladeva
had accepted the Madhwa line, or philosophy(B.N.K. Sharma. History of the
Dvaita school of Vedanta. page 531.).
There is still a small temple of Baladeva Vidyabhusana just outside
the pink city of Jaipur in Rajasthan. At that place called Galta he has
his Deities, and about one hundred amazing Saligram Silas. It was here
that he firmly established Gaudiya Vaisnavism by defeating all the attacks
on Gaudiya philosophy through his presentation of Govinda Bhasya. This
is the incredible place where nearby the Ganges river miraculously appears
from a rock in the form of a waterfall.
Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana lived his life from this time on
respected greatly for his learned understanding of the conclusions of Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In later life he retired to Sri Vrndavana Dhama where
he stayed to a ripe old age.
As we have mentioned here, there are some followers of Madhwacarya who say that Baladeva Vidyabhusana had no connection with Madhwa previously, yet he himself claims differently. In his "Premeya Ratnavali" (para 3.), he says, "Let that ascetic be ever victorious, whose name is Ananda Tirtha, who is the abode of joy, who is the ship to cross the ocean of transmigratory existence, and whom the wise ever praise in this world." In Para 4., he aligns himself to that lineage. "Those devotees who are free from all faults should constantly meditate on the faultless disciplic succession of teachers and disciples, because by such meditation one's single pointedness of devotion is obtained, by which one receives the mercy of the Lord through the 'parampara'." Then at the end of Prameya Ratnavali, in his epilogue, he states how these principles were those of Sripad Madhwacarya and not his own, and in the final verse he says, "This Prameya Ratnavali should be kept in their hearts by the wise, as it contains the nine gems ('ratnas') of propositions well proven ('prameya'), as they were composed by Ananda Tirtha (Sripad Madhwacarya)."
Next comes Uddhava dasa Babaji the disciple of Baladeva Vidyabhusana. Uddhava dasa Babaji Maharaja's disciple was Madhusudana dasa Babaji, that much we know, and his disciple was Vaisnava Sarvabhauma Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja. Nothing is really known of Madhusudana dasa Babaji or Uddhava dasa, as they are not considered major links, so we will go on to Jagannatha dasa Babaji the notable preacher. However, Madhusudan das babaji maharaj is not the same as Madhusudhan Saraswati the mayavadin ascetic that much we are certain of.
Here is another page with similar information on Baladev Vidya Bhushana.