The Gaudiya Math (, ; ) is a

Gaudiya Vaishnava Gaudiya Vaishnavism (), also known as Chaitanya Vaishnavism, is a Vaishnava Hindu religious movement inspired by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) in India. "Gaudiya" refers to the Gaura or Gauḍa region of Bengal, with Vaishnavism meanin ...

matha A ''matha'' (; sa, मठ, ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism.

'' (monastic organisation) formed on 6 September 1920,Devamayī dāsi, "A Divine Life: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda" in ''Prabhupada Saraswati Thakur: The Life & Precepts of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswatī,'' Mandala Publishing, Eugene, Oregon: 1997, pp. 24, 26, 49. . p. 130. about 30 months after

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati (; bn, ভক্তিসিদ্ধান্ত সরস্বতী; ; 6 February 1874 – 1 January 1937), born Bimala Prasad Datt (, ), was a Gaudīya Vaisnava Hindu guru (spiritual master), ācārya (philo ...

took ''

sannyasa ''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' As ...

'', the renounced order of life. On 7 March 1918, the same day he took ''sannyasa,'' he established the Sri Chaitanya Math in

Mayapura Mayapur () is a neighbourhood of Bamanpukur, in the Nabadwip CD block in the Krishnanagar Sadar subdivision of the Nadia district in the state of West Bengal, India. It is situated adjacent to Nabadwip, at the confluence of two rivers, where t ...

in West Bengal, later recognised as the parent body of all the Gaudiya Math branches. Its purpose was to spread

Gaudiya Vaishnavism Gaudiya Vaishnavism (), also known as Chaitanya Vaishnavism, is a Vaishnava Hindu religious movement inspired by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) in India. "Gaudiya" refers to the Gaura or Gauḍa region of Bengal, with Vaishnavism meanin ...

, the philosophy of the medieval Vaisnava saint

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (; born Vishvambhar Mishra) was a 15th-century Indian saint who is considered to be the combined avatar of Radha and Krishna by his disciples and various scriptures. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mode of worshipping Krishna ...

, through preaching and

publishing Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...

. From the beginning of Chaitanya's

bhakti movement The Bhakti movement was a significant religious movement in medieval Hinduism that sought to bring religious reforms to all strata of society by adopting the method of devotion to achieve salvation. Originating in Tamilakam during 6th centur ...

in Bengal, devotees, including

Haridasa Thakur Haridasa Thakur ( IAST ) (born 1451 or 1450) was a prominent Vaishnava saint known for being instrumental in the initial propagation of the Hare Krishna movement. He is considered to be the most famous convert of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, apart ...

and others, whether

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

by birth, have been participants. This openness and disregard for the traditional

caste Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...

system received a boost from the "broad-minded vision" of

Bhaktivinoda Thakura Bhaktivinoda Thakur (, ) (2 September 1838 – 23 June 1914), born Kedarnath Datta (, ), was a Hindu philosopher, guru and spiritual reformer of Gaudiya Vaishnavism who effected its resurgence in India in late 19th and early 20th century and ...

, a nineteenth-century magistrate and prolific writer on ''bhakti'' topics, and was institutionalised by his son and successor Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura in the twentieth-century Gaudiya Math.

Branches

The Gaudiya Math had established 64 branches. Most were in India, but preaching centres were maintained for a time in

British Burma British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

and

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. The first European preaching center was established in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

in 1933 (London Glouster House, Cornwall Garden, W7 South Kensington) under the name Gaudiya Mission Society of London'. Lord Zetland, the English Secretary of State, was the president of this society. The second European preaching center was opened by Swami B.H. Bon Maharaj in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

(W30 Eisenacherstr. 29).

History

Soon after the Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati's death (1 January 1937), a dispute began and the original Gaudiya Math mission divided by the court in 1948 into two administrative bodies which continued preaching on their own, up to the present day. In a settlement they divided the 64 Gaudiya Math centers into two groups. Sri Chaitanya Math Branch were headed by Srila Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha Maharaj.

Gaudiya Mission The Gaudiya Mission ( bn, গৌড়ীয় মিশন) is a Gaudiya Vaishnava monastic and missionary organization whose founder acharya is Srila Prabhupad (6 Feb 1874 — 3 Jan 1937) alias ''Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Goswami M ...

were headed by Ananta Vasudev Prabhu, who became known as Srila Bhakti Prasad Puri Maharaj after accepting

for short duration. p. 89. Many of the disciples of

did not agree with the spirit of these newly created two fractions, or were simply inspired to expand the mission of their guru on their own enthusiasm, started their own missions. Many of these autonomous missions are still known as Gaudiya Math. Some of the other notable new missions are: * Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti established by Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Goswami Maharaj (1940) * Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math established by

Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar (; 10 October 1895 – 12 August 1988) was an Indian guru, writer, sannyasa, sannyasi and spiritual leader in the Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, founder-president-acharya of t ...

Maharaj (1941) * established by Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj (1953) *

International Society for Krishna Consciousness The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known Colloquialism, colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Gaudiya Vaishnava Hinduism, Hindu religious organization. ISKCON was found ...

established by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1966) * established by Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Goswami Maharaj (1966) *

Science of Identity Foundation The Science of Identity Foundation (SIF) is a Hinduism, Hindu Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Gaudiya Vaishnavite Yoga religious organization based in Hawaii, United States, founded by Chris Butler (also known by his Vaishnavite name Siddhaswarupananda Go ...

established by Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa (1977) * Sri Sri Radha Govindaji Trust established by Srila

Bhakti Hridaya Bon Bhakti Hridaya Bon ( sa, भक्ति हृदय वन, ), also known as Swami Bon (Faridpur District, Baharpur, 23 March 1901 – Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, Vrindavan, 7 July 1982), was a disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and a gur ...

(1979) * Sri Caitanya Sangha, a.k.a. Gaudiya Vaishnavite Society, established by

Tripurari Swami Bhaktivedanta Tripurari (), also known as Swami BV Tripurari and formerly as Tripurari Swami, is an American author, poet, and guru, described as "a prominent master in the Gaudiya Vaishnava lineage", and "one of the leading practitioners of ...

(1985) * established by Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaj (1989) Some are very large missions, and some are smaller branches started by individual Vaishnavas. What they hold in common is that they are autonomous branches of the tree of the Gaudiya Math. Almost all of them have published books and periodicals and opened one or more temples. There is little cooperation among these missions. Nevertheless, in 1994 many of them formed united the World Vaisnava Association — Visva Vaisnava Raj Sabha (WVA–VVRS).

References and notes

{{Authority control Gaudiya Vaishnavism Hindu organizations Hindu religious orders Hindu monasteries in India Hindu new religious movements Hindu organisations based in India Hinduism in Kolkata Nadia district Organisations based in Kolkata Religious organizations established in 1920 1920 establishments in British India