Gaudiya Math
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Shortly after Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura took the renounced order of Sanyasa in 1918, the Gaudiya Math was organized. Its purpose was to spread Gaudiya Vaishnavism throughout India through preaching and publishing work.
Eventually, sixty-four (64) branches of temples, ashrams, and mathas were established, with the Caitanya Gaudiya Math as the flagship math of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. An effort was made to preach to European countries by the Gaudiya Math in the 1930's, but only reaped a handful of longtime adherents, such as E.G.Schulze of Germany, who became Sadananda Swami, and later, Walther Eidlitz of Austria, who became Vamana dasa.
With Bhaktisiddhanta's death in 1937, the mathas and disciples lost the cohesiveness and unity that they once enjoyed during his life of preaching. The disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta founded their own mathas and organizations and became Acharyas.
The most famous organization created by a disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta was ISKCON by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who spread Gaudiya Vaishnavism worldwide like no other. Other prominent Mathas are Sri Gaudiya Math whos acharya is Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission founded by Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaj, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math founded by Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Maharaja and Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math founded by Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Maharaja.
[edit] External links
- Our Family the Gaudiya Math written by B.A. Paramadvaiti Swami Maharaja
- Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math - Mission organized by Srila B.R.Sridhar Maharaj
- Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti - Purebhakti, website of Srila BV Narayana Maharaja
- Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission Srila BV Puri Maharaj