The little boy, Radharaman Prabhu, was one amongst many significant rays of HDG Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur, founder president & acharya of all Gaudiya Maths. On 15th April 1914 in the early morning before sunrise, Radharaman Prabhu appeared in the home of devotee parents, father Sripad Vaikunthanath & mother Srimati Ratnamayee Devi at the village – Narma, district Medinipur, West Bengal, India. Radharaman Prabhu’s parents both were householder disciples of Srila Prabhupada.
When Radharaman Prabhu was 11 years old, according to the invitation of Narma Sanskrit Society’s annual function on behalf of Sri Gaudiya Math, Pranavananda Das Brahmacari (later known as Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaj) and Srila Bhakti Hriday Bon Goswami Maharaj along with other brahmacharis came to attend the annual function at Narma village. During that time, Radharaman’s parents hosted them, happily. The two preachers, Pranavananda Das Brahmacari and Srila Bhakti Hriday Bon Goswami Maharaj saw the spiritual qualities of Radharaman. According to the request of the two preachers, Radharaman’s father, Vaikuntanath Prabhu, happily sent his 11-year-old boy, Radharaman, for the services of his Gurudeva, Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada allowed him to resume his academic study at Kolkata and later on study Sanskrit under the guidance of Gaur Das Pandit in Mayapur.
In 1930, when Radharaman was 16 years old, Srila Prabhupada gave him 1st initiation (harinam) and engaged him in managing a huge 45-days spiritual exhibition (3rd Feb – 17th March). On the 20th of March 1931, Srila Prabhupada also gave him the saffron robes. On the 6th of January 1933, in order to spread the loving message of Lord Caitanya, Srila Prabhupada sent Srila Bhakti Hridoy Bon Goswami Maharaj along with Radharaman Prabhu to Bangladesh. In 1933, after returning from the Bangladesh preaching tour, Sripad Radharaman Brahmachari Prabhu received 2nd initiation from Srila Prabhupada at Bag Bazar Gaudiya Math, Kolkata.
Also, for a few years, Sripad Radharaman Prabhu was responsible to look after Sri Prapanna Ashram in Howrah Maju. He was also engaged by Srila Prabhupada to preach in various places including Pakistan and Burma. Before Radharaman Prabhu’s journey abroad for expanding the loving mission of Lord Caitanya, Srila Prabhupada gave him the title, ‘Raga Kumud’, which means spontaneous loving lotus, having seen his charismatic service attitude and melodious singing talent. Later on, Srila Prabhupada sent him to South India to preach with his senior sannyasi godbrothers. During Radharaman Prabhu’s stay in Madras, on 1st January 1937 at 5:30 a.m., Srila Prabhupada physically left us and out of separation, Radharaman Prabhu returned to Bag Bazaar, Kolkata from Madras.
In spirit, Srila Gurudeva is always with us. In order to set the example, Sripad Radharaman Das Brahmachari followed the instructions of Srila Prabhupada and started to preach extensively in India and abroad.
While preaching, due to misconduct between temple management board members, once, Radharaman Prabhu felt depressed and went to serve his family deities, Sri Sri Radha-Kishori Mohan Jiu. During that time, Srila Prabhupada appeared in his dream and ordered him to accept the renounced order (sannyasa). To fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s order, on12th February 1942 at Khir Chora Gopinath Ji Temple, Remuna, Odisha he took the sannyasa initiation from his affectionate godbrother, Srila Bhakti Vichar Jajabar Goswami Maharaj. He received the name Srila Bhakti Kumud Santa Goswami Maharaj. After that, again, he was extensively preaching around India, Bangladesh, and different countries around Europe.
Later on, his senior godbrother, Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaj (Kunja Babu), told Srila Bhakti Kumud Santa Goswami Maharaj to not establish any temple in the Mayapur territory. For the service of Sri Caitanya Math (Adi-Math), Srila Santa Goswami Maharaj sent his affectionate disciple. As a result, we can see Srila Santa Goswami Maharaj’s initiated disciple, Sripad Kanupriya Das Babaji Maharaj, still present at the Adi-Math as president of the present management board. Eventually, Srila Santa Goswami Maharaj established his own temple in different places in India such as Puri (Odisha), Keshiari (Medinipore, W.B), Kharagpur (Medinipur, W.B), and Behala (Kolkata, W.B). Srila Santa Goswami Maharaj composed many devotional books and songs.
Presently, Sripad Bhakti Vichar Bharati Goswami Maharaj, Bhakti Sundar Yati Goswami Maharaj, Bhakti Vilas Ashram Goswami Maharaj, Bhakti Prakash Madhava Goswami Maharaj, Bhakti Swarup Sajjan Goswami Maharaj, Bhakti Rakshak Narayan Goswami Maharaj, Bhakti Kamal Hrishikesh Goswami Maharaj as well as all other significant disciples are looking after Srila Santa Goswami Maharaj’s preaching missions.
Disappearance of Bhakti Kumud Santa Goswami Maharaj:
Although Srila Santa Goswami Maharaj physically passed away in Kolkata on the 7th of January 2012 at 1:05 a.m., his loving service attitude for expanding Lord Caitanya’s mission is keeping him alive amongst the Gaudiya Vaishnava community. As per Srila Santa Goswami Maharaj’s wish, his disciples buried his holy body (samadhi) at Sri Gauranga Math, Keshiari, Medinipore, W.B.
Srila Santa Goswami Maharaj’s whole life is teaching us how to practice pure devotion with keeping amicable relations between godbrothers and senior Vaishnavas without any compromise, even under any unavoidable circumstances.