Sri Sri Thakur Sukudev Brahmachari - a brief sketch

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The absolute Parambrahaman- the source of universe is transcendent of time and space; yet in His divine play, He takes the forms at times within the time and space to become both the creator and the creation. He has taken different forms and names in His different divine incarnations.

But whenever He comes, He comes with the message of divine love and wisdom - the affluent wave of which has over-flooded the entire world and showed the light and new directions to the mankind. And there was no exception in the case of Sri Sri Thakur Sukdev Brahmachari. His all-encompassing divine love has swept across the hearts of millions especially in India and Bangladesh.

Intoxicated by His divine love, simplicity, message of wisdom, assurance to higher life and supernatural power people irrespective of cast, creed, rich or poor flocked in great numbers towards him to surrender to His Lotus Feet. His magnetic personality and love have made many even to forget the hunger and thirst. His enlightened company inspired many to overcome the lure & attachment of worldly life and take the vow of celibacy and lead an austere life.

In numerous ensembles of devotees and followers tears of divine love has flowed from his eyes incessantly in His trance and the uncontrollable force of that has elevated the souls surrounding Him and made them experience the divine bliss.

GURU-SISHYA PARAMPARA

Sri Sri Thakur Sukdev is the 34th direct descendent of the Guru-Shishya Parampara starting from Lord Krishna Himself. But He like His Guru never adhered to any particular custom followed by the Baisnavas or any other religious sect. He has followed His Guru’s principle of treating the humanity as the living God. To Him everything in this universe was nothing but God.

To Him the whole humanity was from one source and therefore in spirituality there exists no difference among castes, creeds or communities and between man and woman. People of all hue and colours therefore enjoy His infinite love and grace and have become His devotees and followers. In His Ashram everybody experiences and enjoys the universal brotherhood, equality, peace and love.

BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD

Sri Sri Thakur Sukdev Brahmachari was born on Tuesday, 05th November 1907 (19th Karttik 1314) in a village named Balkoir in the then Faridpur district in erstwhile Bengal province of British India. He was the 5th child of pious Kodai Poddar and Anandamayi Devi. His father had a jewellery shop and some farming lands and his family was recognized as a well to do family in the village. But most unfortunately, Sukdev lost His mother at the age of four when His youngest brother was just two years old.

He was virtually left at the hand of destiny thereafter, as nobody other than His father seemed to have any time or interest to look after Him and His childhood was spent in abject negligence. As he grew up He showed complete indifference to the worldly affairs. He never showed any interest to study, games or any other worldly things. His mind was constantly engrossed with the thought of God and means to realise Him.

Unmindful even for hunger and thirst He used to roam alone with the deep longing in His eyes in the search of His ideal and the means to achieve that. Other times He was either found in places where any kind of spiritual discussion or chanting of God’s name is in progress or in the company of monks.

As there was nobody to look after Him and as He was most indifferent to his own state of affairs He was having a most unkempt look in His childhood.

His utmost simplicity, complete detachment to the worldly things, indifference even to His own basic needs and unresisting nature to any kind of humiliation or torture made others to conclude that He was an underdeveloped adolescent lacking natural intelligence of a normal human being and was nicknamed as Suyaa Balda (Suyaa, a fool). His was a very big family comprising of His many brothers, theirs wives and children. His indifference to the study and any other household work irked His elder brothers very much.

Being unable to make boy Sukdev useful in their own way they very often used to punish Him severely which amounted to be nothing but brutal tortures. Finding the boy Sukdev most vulnerable and unresisting some crocked people also did not mind to have fun by torturing Him. His father being an old person had to bear all these with the silent tears and utmost heartburn. At last, when the torture on Sukdev crossed all limits and became completely unbearable even for Sukdev who had never uttered a single word against His brothers or others, His father arranged a small land for Him and He started to live separately all by Himself at a lonely place about 3 km from His original house.

Sukdev kept wandering unmindful to the torture or sufferings but He could not find the man of His heart who could guide or help Him in His search of Knowledge. And then one day when He was about to sleep at night He heard some people singing inside the next room a song, what goes like the following. “Fatik is awaiting after crossing The barrier of casts and creeds, Let us start our journey Oh, the expert boatmen Without further delay.”

Boy Sukdev was startled listening to the song and felt in His innermost being that Fatik, the composer of the song is calling none other than Him and almost instantaneously realised that He was the man He was searching for so long.

So, He started worshipping Fatik Gosain who was none other than Siddhavadhut Baishnav Paramhansa Biswabandhu Goswami as His Guru with utmost sincerity though He did not know anything about Biswabandhu or has seen Him before.

UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF GURU

The earnest and sincere prayer was soon answered and Sukdev had the first divine vision of His Guru. Sukdev continued His prayer with renewed vigour. Ultimately, being pulled by the tremendous attraction of the earnest devotee, Biswabandhu, the Guru had to come by Himself to His Sishya and took Sukdev under His own care from His father and family life through a heart-rending scene. Sukdev’s spiritual training thereafter continued under His Guru for several years.

He had to pass numerous most difficult and near impossible tests regarding His sincerity and intensity about spirituality but was not formally initiated even after successfully passing the severest of tests and having complete devotion to His Guru. At last, when Sukdev was about 23 years old Biswabandhu formally initiated Him in Kumbhamela, Alahabad, India where both have gone to take part in that great spiritual event. An astrologer after the birth of Sukdev predicted in the horoscope that He will live only 23 years and as per that He was supposed to live only a few months more.

Hence, Sukdev apparently was not in His enthusiastic mood as He should have been during His initiation. Being asked about the same by His Guru Sukdev wept and told His Guru that He is going to live only for few months more. Biswabandhu, His Guru then assured Sukdev that His coming to the world has a definite purpose and He knew all about it. Thereafter, putting His hand on Sukdev’s head He blessed, “ You will remain in this world as long as you wish to serve the mankind and I will always remain with you if He follow my instructions”.

Sri Sri Thakur Sukdev, therefore, lived many more years thereafter and entered Maha Samadhi only at the age of 85 after completing His divine mission.

SADHANA AND REALISATION

After His initiation Sukdev was told by His Guru that his learning under Him is complete and He should now lead His sadhana by His own for realisation. So instructed, Thakur Sukdev proceeded towards Himalaya and continued His intense Sadhana there. He seemed to have lived in a Himalyan cave and led a very austere life. Thakur Sukdev never disclosed much of His sadhana to anybody and therefore almost nothing is known about this period of His life. But whatever little He revealed through hints or during conversation with His most sincere devotees at different times it is understood that He had to face many difficulties and obstacles in His spiritual paths.

Many a times He even faced deaths very closely but was saved miraculously. But nothing could distract or deter Him from His sadhana and the goal of realisation. After the realisation He set out for extensive pilgrimage throughout India. He covered almost all the holy places worth its name and then came back to his native place under Gopalganj subdivision in erstwhile Bengal province and received the blessing of His Guru Sri Sri Biswabandhu. The Guru and Sishya (disciple) as if were of same soul and were different only physically.

A short and succinct letter from His Guru Sri Sri Biswabandhu reveals a rare glimpse of the Guru Sishya relation at this time. Sri Sri Biswabandhu wrote, Dearest Sukdev, I don’t want dishonest Wise, crooked scientists, atheist philosopher, but a person of integrity and limitless tolerance filled with simplicity. That is why I love innocent children. Now being delighted and completely overwhelmed by your simplicity, I accord you the complete freedom to do your work as you like.

You may now-onwards dress yourself as you like and give advice or offer any dress to others, as you like. I shall always be with you in all your acts and thoughts. I write in brief, as I am badly engaged. Well Wisher Biswabandhu Sri Sri Thakur Sukdev Brahmachari was the embodiment of divine love, grace and knowledge and His name was echoing all around as a great divine soul in erstwhile East Bengal. Everybody wanted to get hold of Him.

On one side, there were the much afflicted and hapless common mass eager to come under His divine grace and on the other side, the brightest luminaries in the spiritual sky of His time wanted to pass their divine knowledge and religious philosophies in safe hands for the welfare of mankind in coming days. Therefore, He received the blessings and love of many spiritual greats at His time like Sri Sri Guruchand Thakur, Ganesh Pagol, Sri Sri Rai Thakur, Sri Sri Radhapagol, Lalbaba of Lilua, Deohari Baba and others.

But the bond between Sri Sri Jagadeesh Pagol and Thakur Sukdev Baba was extraordinary and Jagadeesh Pagol showered His complete love and blessings on Sukdev Baba and passed on all His divine power and knowledge to him. Sukdev Baba considered Sri Sri Jagadeesh Pagol as His 2nd Guru.

THE DIVINE MISSION

A Brahmachari and Sanyasin in the truest sense Sri Sri Thakur Sukdev was a living example of complete renunciation. Yet He was not an ascetic who had turned himself away from the world and life. Rather His mission to this world was ‘Welfare and uplift of mankind’. And this is evident from His Gurus words and the fact that He was extremely moved by the plight and sufferings of the people surrounding Him and vowed to dedicate His life to help mankind in overcoming their suffering when He was merely a child of eight years old.

Sri Sri Thakur used to say, “My life is my message, my philosophy.” He urged his disciples and devotees to emulate and implement the examples set by Him in their life. As was mentioned earlier that He placed Himself above all kinds of rituals and customs of any particular sects or religions. As an embodiment of divine love and grace He embraced everybody with equality irrespective of caste, creed and community. Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Brahmins and Chamars (a very lower caste in the Indian caste system) all received His grace equally and became His disciples.

Sri Sri Thakur Sukdev has shown that Universal love and Brotherhood is achievable if the mind is broadened enough as one progress spiritually. As described by Bhagaban Sri Krishna in the Geeta Thakur Sukdev Brahmachari believed in and preached the ‘Unattached work’ or ‘ Niskam Karma’. He not only advised His disciples to do Niskam Karma with complete dedication, honesty and in the name of God but set examples by Himself. Being a liberated soul He had nothing to do for Himself but He always used to keep Himself busy with some work or other in His Ashram. He was the epitome of Jnan, Bhakti, Karma and Yoga and was unfathomable in any sense but apparently one could recognise very easily a perfect Karma Yogi in Him.

Thakur Sukdev was very much moved by the pathetic condition of the common mass afflicted on one side with poverty, hunger, misery, diseases, death, grief, despondency, illiteracy etc. and tormented on the other side by the worldly attributes of selfishness, greed, lust, jealousy, and violence. He wanted to help this hapless mass and bring light and joy in their life. Sri Sri Sukdev Babaji drew parallel of these souls with the suffocated fishes in a pond completely covered with hyacinth. Due to lack of oxygen the watery creatures of this pond cannot breathe properly and struggle for life. But if some clearing is made on the surface of water then all these creatures can frequent to this clearing to breathe oxygen and enjoy the life.

Sri Sri Thakur Sukdev wanted to create some spiritual openings on the surface of society to which the worldly people can frequent to come in contact with the divine love, grace and wisdom and breath a sigh of relief from the daily mundane and afflictions of worldly life. Sri Sri Sukdev Babaji felt an urgent need for the uplift of the common man from its precarious living conditions and improvement of the general atmosphere. Basic education, healthcare and a harmonious society were the basic criteria for the improvement of general condition of the poor and downtrodden. To him this was only possible through selfless dedication and service to the distressed and needy irrespective of caste and creed and by practising the principle of equality, brotherhood and peace.

He wanted to create a base where dedicated souls filled with renunciation can be groomed to take up this great task and where everybody can enjoy the test of equality, universal brotherhood and peace and then spread the same throughout the world. Outcome of this contemplation of His was the genesis of Biswasuk Milan Math & Biswasuk Sevasram Sangha popularly known as Biswasuk Sevasram. Therefore, Biswasuk Sevasram is the shelter for homeless, sanatorium for the sick, place of learning for children and uneducated, abode of God for the devotees, sadhanbhumi (place of practising asceticism and renunciation) for the seeker of truth and place of universal brotherhood, amity and peace for the whole humanity. Sri Sri Thakur Sukdev Babaji established the first Biswasuk Sevasram at village Mandra of district Faridpur in erstwhile Bengal province way back in 1932.

Subsequently, He established five more Ashram centres at various places in present Bangladesh and West Bengal in India. He encouraged and urged his disciples and the Ashramites to take up various welfare activities with complete devotion and with the spirit of “ATMANO MOKSHORTAM JAGADDHITAYA CHA” (Doing good to the world with spirit of worship and thus paving paths for one’s own salvation) Sri Sri Thakur Sukdev Babaji set up schools, hostels for the poor and destitute children, medical facilities for the poor and needy and started other welfare activities like distribution of clothes and foods to the distress, distribution of items for handicap people, carrying out relief works in natural and other calamities, organising blood donation camps, running vocational training camps etc. at various Biswasuk Sevasram centres and other place.

Sri Sri Thakur Sukdev Brahmachari was extremely abhorrent to any kind of cheap publicity and always kept His true self covered under the disguise of a common man. Whatever He wanted to do He did it most silently. Most of the charitable activities in Biswasuk Sevasram are therefore carried out from the offerings made by His devotees comprised mostly of poor and underprivileged class of the society and from collections made by the sanyasins from door to door in the name of God and selfless service. At times therefore, the Ashram had to pass severe financial constraints but Sukdev Baba refused to accept any donations or help if He could smell slightest selfish motive behind it.

Sri Sri Thakur continued His teachings and welfare activities untiringly in spite of all difficulties and constraints and numerous people from all strata of society have benefited from it.

EPITOME OF KINDNESS AND LOVE

It is simply not possible to describe Sri Sri Thakur Sukdev Baba’s divine Leela and reveal His divine nature and that is not attempted here. Depending on the capacity and the development, different people have realised Sukdev Baba in different ways and at different depths. But His unlimited love and kindness was felt equally by one and all. Whoever got the opportunity to come in touch with Him and got His blessings felt with equal intensity that Baba loved him most. ‘Sukahari’ as He is fondly known among His devotees is the epitome of love and kindness to all.

He is the saviour and light of their endless struggle and darkness. With the slightest pain or sufferings of His devotees Thakur Sukdev used to become restless and in numerous occasions took the pain and sufferings of His devotees upon Himself. Thus when there was flood in Katwa in 1978 He could not tolerate the sufferings of the hapless people without food, clothes and shelter. Risking His own life He jumped into the torrential currents of floodwater from the safe shelter of the Ashram and reached Katwa town by enduring all the dangers wading and swimming through different levels of water to collect food and other essential items for the flood affected people.

Clad with a single piece of Gamchha (a thin towel common in Bengal) Thakur begged with His devotees from door to door and finding the living God of kindness at their door people spontaneously came out extended their generous help. Again, when some villagers and the sons of one Mr. Sachi Talukder, brought him to Thakur in a dying condition after being discharged from hospital as a hopeless case and pray earnestly to Him for the life of the patient, Thakur’s heart got melted and with the Thakur's blessing Mr. Talukder got new life. But as Mr. Talukdar was getting well the similar signs of his disease was started showing in the the body of Thakur Sukdev till His health got completely broken down and had to suffer extremely. It took a heavy toll on Thakur's health and took a very long time to recover.

After completing the divine mission Sri Sri Thakur Sukdev Brahmachari Baba entered into Maha Samadhi on 12th November 1992. But to all His disciples and devotees He is ever present with His divine grace and love and will keep on showing the light to the mankind in days to come.