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SECOND YEAR OF

THE GAUDIYA MISSION

IN EUROPE

TRIDANDI SWAMI B. H. BON

LONDON

. - '



The Gaudiya Mission, India

Founded in 1886 by Srila Thakur Bhaktivi node to promote the spiritual welfare

of all souls and to assist in the study of the Philosophy and Teachings of Sri

Krsna Cairanya Mahaprabhu.

PRESIDENT AND SPIRITUAL MASTER:

His Divine Grace Paramahansa Paribrdj akaciiryabarya 108 Sri Srimad Bhakei

Siddhanra Sarasvati Gosvarni Maharaja.

GENERAL SECRETARY AND TREASURER:

Maharnahopadesaka Pandir K. V. Vidyabhusana ,

Bhaktisastri, Bhagavataratna.

JOINT SECRETARIES:

Maharnahopadesaka Professor N. K. Sanyal, M.A.

Bhakrisasrri, Bhaktisudbakara.

Mahamahopadesaka Pandi t Arulchandra Banerj i,

Bhaktisastri, Bhaktisaranga.

ESTATE MANAGER:

Mr . Mah. inanda Br ahmacari , Bhakri sa st ri , Bhakryaloka.

Parent Centre : Sri Caitanya Math, Sri Mlyiipore, Nabadwipa, Bengal, India.

Tele. address: "Sridba:n", Nabadwip.

Head-q aurters: Sri Gaudiya Math, Baghbazar, Calcutta, Indi a.

Tele. Address: "Gaudiya", Calcutta.

Phone: B.B. 4115.

Second Year of the Gaudiya Mission

in Europe

BRANCHES: IN INDIA:

1. Sri Gaudiya Math, Bombay: Proctor Road, Chotani Buildings, Bombay 7.

2. Sri Gaudiya Math, Rangoon: 350, Dalhouse Street, Rangoon. Burma.

3. Sri Gaudiya Math, Delhi: 43, Hanuman Road, New Delhi.

4. Sri Gaudiya Math, Mutua: Bisramghar, Murt ra , V.P.

5. Sri Gaudiya Math, Madras: Royapettah, Madras.

6. Sri Gaudiya Math. Balasore: Ba l asore, Orissa.

7. Sri Gaudiya Math, Patna: 100, Mirhapura, Parna,

8. Sri Gaudiya Math, Sarbhoga: Chakcbaka, Kamrup, Assam.

9. Sri Gaudiya Math, Amarshi , Midnapore, Bengal.

]0. Sri Purusottama Math: Chataka Parvata, Puri , Orissa.

11. S6 Sachhidananda Math: Oriya Bazar, Cuttuck, Orissa.

'12. Sri Paramahansa Math: Nimsar, Sirapore, U,P.

'13. Sri Krishna-Chairanya Ma rh : Puranasahar, Brindavana, V,P.

'1-1. Sri Prapannasrama: Goalpara, Assam,

15, Sri Ramananda Gaudiya Math : Kovvur, West Godavari, Madras.

1(,. Sri Sanatana Gaudiya Math: Faridapura, Benares City, U.P.

'17. Sri Rupn Gaudiya Math: Allahabad, Canning Street, 'V.P.

'IR, Sri Vyasa Gaudiya Math : Kuruksheu a, Thaneswara, Karnal.

19. Sri Brahma Gaudi ya Ma th : Alal.nath Brahmagiri , Puri, Orissa.

2f1. Sri Madhva Gaudiya Marh : Nawabpur, Dacca, Bengal.

21, Sri J:lgannat ha Gaudiya Math: Barabaz ar , Mymensingh, Bengal.

7 . 7 . , Sri "l'rid andi Gaudiya Mrh : Bhubanesvara, Puri, Ori ssa.

;~L Sri Chairanya Gaudiya Math: Dumurkonda, Chirkunda. Ma nbbum.

~~,1.Sri Snr.rsvata Gaudiya Math : Hardwar , Saharanpur, U,P. &c., &c. 48 in

uumhcr,



.. ~.

SECOND YEAR OF THE

GAUDIYA MISSION

IN EUROPE

Report of the actit.ities of the Gaudiya Mission in the

West from Tune, 1934 to August, 1935.

TRIDANDI SWAMI B. H. BON

LONDON

1935

3 GLOUCESTER HOUSE, CORNWALL GARDENS S.W. 7

PHONE: WESTERN 3847



,

I,

INTRODUCTION.

The Gaudiya Mission has already published the Report of its

First Year's activities in England. We have now, by the Grace

of our Master, the pleasure to present the public with the

Report of our Second Year's works in Europe.

By the Mercy of the President of the Gaudiya Mission, His

Divine Grace Paramahansa Paribrajakacharyabarya 108 Sri

Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Gosvarni, we have been able

to render our humble services to the fulfillment of the wish

of Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode, the .father of the present

Movement of unalloyed devotion in India. According to the

capacity God has given us, we have been carrying out the

Message of Sri Krishna Chaitanya in particular and the Teach-

ings and Philosophy of Hinduism in general to the people

of Europe.

During the First Year, our activities were mostly confined to

England, except for a short tour to the Universities of Berlin

and Koenigsberg, while this year we have the honour to inform

the devotees of the world about our extensive works in Eng-

land, Germany, Czechoslovakia and Austria.

We have been further encouraged by the fact that we have

found two sincere souls in Herrn Ernst-Georg Schulze and



Herrn Baron Hans-Eberhard von Koth, who are going to

India to devote themselves wholly to the service of our Master

and the Lord.

Praying for more energy and abilities from our Divine Master

we now enter upon our Third Year's activities in the West.

Tridandi Swami B. H. BON,

Preacher-in-charge of the Gaudiya Mission

in Europe.

19th August, 1935.

Berlin W 30

Eisenacher Strasse 29,

Deutschland.

In the service of our Master



SECOND YEAR

OF THE

GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

The Spir it ual Maste r & President of the Gaudiya Mission.



IN ENGLAND

MISSION'S FIRST ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND:

The Gaudiya Mission started its activities in the West with the

arrival of .Tridandi Swami B. H. Bon, Tridandi Swami B. P.

Tirtha and Mr. S. Das, M. A. in London in April 22, 1933.

A report of the important work done from May, 1933 to May,

1934, to promote mutual spiritual understanding between

India and the West and to explain the Message of Sri Krishna

Chaitanya as directed by its Spiritual Master and President, His

Divine Grace Paramahansa Paribrajakacharyabarya 108 Sri Srimad

Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaj was published

in "M y First Year in England" by Tridandi Swami B. H.

Bon, preacher-in-charge of the Gaudiya Mission in Europe.

THE LONDON GAUDIY A MISSION SOCIETY:

In the first year's report the foundation of the Society has

already been mentioned. It was started at the Caxton Hall,

Westminster, S. W. in April, 1934, under the Presidentship

of the Most Honourable the Marquess of Zetland, P. C, G. C

S. 1. , G. C 1. E., who continues to give his full support and

practical help to the Swamiji.

On his appointment as Secretary of State for India, the Presi-

dent of the Gaudiya Mission and Swami B. H. Bon of the

London Gaudiya Mission Society conveyed their heartiest

felicitations to Lord Zetland. Nobody in India and in England

11



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

is ignorant of Lord Zetland's profound knowledge of Hindu

Philosophy and Culture, and the Mission, therefore, feels it

a pride to have the most able guidance of his lordship in Eng-

The Most .Hon. rbe Marquess of Zetland,

P. c.. G. C. S. I., G. C. I. E., Secretary of

State for Iindi a - President of the Gaudiya

Mission Society, London.

land. No one else could possibly be a better person than the

Marquess of Zetland to be the President of the London

Gaudiya Mission Society. Swami B. H. Bon gratefully

'acknowledges his encouragement, sympathies as well as per-

12

1. 1\

-- -~-. I


sonal interest which Lord Zetland has been continuously show-

ing in the Swami's spiritual activities.

The Gaudiya Mission feels greatly encouraged by the success-

ful course the Society followed. Several Meetings of the

President & Vice -Pre siden ts o f the Gaud iya Mis sion Soc iet y, London.

Left to right: Standing: Swami B. P. Tirrha, t'he Maharaja of Burdwan, Swami

B. H. Bon. Sitting: The Hon: Lady (Stanley) Jackson, the Marquess of Zetland

(Pr esi dent ), the Lady Ca rmi chae l. o f Skir ling,

Council of the Society were held to discuss the ways and

methods of its activities. In the list of the Officers, some

important additions and changes took place. His Highness

the Maharaja Bir Bikrama Kissore Manikya Bahadur of

13



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIY A MISSION IN EUROPE

Tripura, K. C. S. I. and the Maharajadhiraj Sir Kamesvara Singh

Bahadur of Darbhanga, K. C. I. E. consented to be Vice-Presi-

dents of the Society. Miss Sarah de Laredo became a Member

of Council. The Society is thankful to her for the help she

has rendered to the literary activities of Swami Bon. Whilst

in India, the Maharajadhiraj Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab Bahadur

of Burdwan, G. C. l. E.,K.C. S.I., I. O. M. remained as

Vice-President.

On the return of the Maharajadhiraj Bahadur of Burdwan to

li1;dia: the Right Honourable Sir Shadi Lal, P. C. acceded to

the request of the Society to become its Chairman. The

Society hails with great joy Sir Shadi Lal as its Chairman of

Souncil, and its Member's have every hope .in his able lead that

the Society will progress very well. The Right Honourable Sir

Shadi Lal h;d;already received the admiration of the people

of both India and England for his impartial and masterly

abilities in the Judicial Line, but the Society further realises

his eatne.st zeal. fat a spiritual course for which the Society

stands.

Sir Edward Denison Ross, C. 1. E., Ph. D. , the world-famous

Pirect6r of the London School of Oriental LangL~ages, very

kindly showed his readiness to encourage and help the activi-

ties of the Society by becoming the Vice-Chairman of Council.

Sir Denison Ross .was the first man in London to introduce

Swami B. H. Bon to the intelligentsia of London by giving

him a Reception at the Criterion in 1933. Since then Sir D.

Ross has always given his advice and shown ha every sym-

pathy with the Swami's work amongst the scholars of Eng-

land. The Mission naturally is thankful to him for all that

he has done and will be doing for the Mission in Europe.

14


The list of the Officers of the London Gaudiya Mission

Society which is given below reveals the great sympathy shown

by the leaders in the social and scholastic life of England for

its activities in the West.

Members of Council of the Gaudrya Mission Society, London.

F rom le ft to ti gh t: St anain g : -F. H. Brown, C. 1. E ., P. K. Dutt, M. A., M. Sc. ,

F. J. P. Richter, M. A. Sitting: - F. G. Pratt , C. S. 1., Swami B. H. Bon , the

Right Honourable Lord Lamington, Miss Sarah de Laredo.

PRESIDENT:

The Most Honourable the Marquess of Zeeland, P.c., G.C.S.1., G.C.I.E.

VICE· PRESIDENTS: .

(1) His Highness the Maaaraj a Bit Bikrarnakissore Manikva Bahadur of Tripura,

K.CS.I.

(2) The Lady Carmichael of Skirling.

15




(3) 'The Right Honourable the Viscount Goschen, P.c., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E.,

C.B.E.

(4) Sir Awl Chandra Charterii, G.C.I.E., K.C.S.I.

( 5) The Han. Lady (Stanley) Jackson, K.-I.-Hind.

(6) The Maharajadhiraj Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab Bahadur of Burdwan, G.C.l.E.,

K.C.S.I., 1.0.M.

(7) The Righr Honourable Lord Lamingron, G.C.lVl.G., G.C.I.E.

(8) Licut.cf.o lonel Sir Francis Young husband K.C.S.I ., K.C.I .E.

(9) The Maharajadhi ra j S ir- Karnesvar a Singh Bahadur of Darbhanga, K.C.I.E.

COUNCIL:

Cb airman o f Council : The Right Honourable Sir Shadi Lal, P.c.

-Vice-Cbeirman of Council : Si r Edward Deni son Ross, C.1.E., Ph.D., Di rec tor of

the London 'S chool of Oriental Languages.

lHembNs: Tridandi Swami B. H. Bon, Preacher-In-Charge of the Gaudiyc Mission

in Europe.

·F. H. Brown. C.LK

P. K.D\,tt, M.A., M.Sc.

Mrs . D. iN . Dutt.F. G. Pratr, c.S.I.

F. J. P. Richter, M.A.

Miss Sarah de Laredo.

Hon. Treasurer.' Tridandi Swami B. H. Bon.

Joint" Hon, Secretaries'; P. K. Dutt, M.A., M.Sc.

Ttidandi Swami B. H. Bon.

OFFICE:

3~Gloucesrer House, Cornwall Gardens, London, S.\ 'V. 7.

Tele. address : "Gaudiya" , London.

Phone: Western 3847.

16

, ,


LECTURES.

Tridandi Swami B. H. Bon, preacher-in-charge of the Gaudiya

Mission in Europe, delivered several lectures on various

subjects at different or-

ganisations in London. On

June 10th, 1934 he gave

a lecture on the "Deve-lopment of Theism In

India and the Principle

of Bhakti" at the Students

Movement House, 32,

Russel. Square. Mr. CK.

Sen, J . C. S., was in the

chair.. A large gathering

of mixed students from

England, Wales, Ireland,

Germany, Austria, France,

Japan, China, India, Cey-

lon and Africa attended

the meeting and- tried to

follow the explanations

of the Swarniji on what Tridandi Swami B. H. Bon.

is understood in India

by Theism and Bhakti. The Warden of the Student Movement

House, Miss Trevelyan, expressed in a very sympathetic letter

the gratitude of the audience for having been given the chance

to get some proper ideas on Hinduism.

On the occasion of the Disappearance-Day of Srila Thakur

Bhaktivinode, a Celebration took place at the London Centre

17



18

SECOND YEAR .OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

at 3, Gloucester House, Cornwall Gardens, on July 10th, 1934.

Swami Bon spoke on "The Life of the Founder of the Mis-

sion" and prayers and religious songs were sung by the Swamiji.

Tridandi Swami B. P. Tirtha gave an Address on the Life of

Thakur Bhaktivinode

which was much appre-

ciated by the audiance.

Amongst others the foll-

owing were present: The

Hon. late Mr. Bristowe

and Mrs. Bristowe, Mr.

and Mrs. Polak, Miss

Lilian Martin, Dr. Ban-

kim Mukherji, Mr. and

Mrs. A. John Collier,

F. H. Lee, Miss Mary·

Clark, Dr. Saha, Mr.

Dikshit, Mr. F. J . P.

Richter, M. A., Mr. Da-

limchand Sethia, Mr.

Bose, Mr. W. F. Grabb.

Mr. Fiddes Watt invited

Swami B. H. Bon praying at the organ. a lecture at his house at

178, Cromwell Road,

S.W. 5, on July 15th, where Swami B. H. Bon spoke on some

striking aspects of the "Conception of Karma" and the diffe-

rences between the different bodies and how to differentiate

them from the real souL The large audiance expressed its

thanks to Mr. Watt for having given them opportunity to

hear the Swamij i.

Sl~ ND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

'I'll!' President of the International New Thought Alliance,

r V I I ' . R . Dimsdale Stocker, presided over a lecture at the

( ' ( ) l1gress of the Alliance on July 16th, 1934. Tridandi Swami

II. II. Bon put before the highly interested audiance an out-

Iino of what are the

" I < ' C I ' I . ' paths of Karma,

J IHilla, Yoga and Bhakti

ui d their relative ends."

r vl i s s Kathleen Shaw has

pin ed 'her beautiful coun-

IIyhouse at 43, East Dean

Road, Eastbourne, Sussex,

II the disposal of the

: :w,diya Mission for dis-

'ussion-rneetings and use

by th e Swamijis of the

Mission.'

J tiring the last week of

july , 1934 Swami B. B .

) 0 3 0 1 1 stayed at her house

ILl1d gave an open lecture

I'or the interested people

o f the town on the "Con-The house of Miss Shaw

at 43. East .Dean Road, Eastbourne Sussex,

ception of the soul in The Eastbourne Centre of the Mission.

Hinduism": Miss Shaw' s house near the sea-side, surrounded

I y extensive flower- and vegetable gardens, gives a har-

r n on i ou s background for the meditation and was indeed

a place of rest and recaperation for the members of the

Lond o n Centre of the Mission after their long and inten-

sive work.

19




The Director of the Caterham Adult School invited Swami

B. H. Bon to give a lecture on the "Mission of Life" to the

adult students of his School. The Swami left for Caterham

by train on September 27th, 1934 and was received at the

station by the Director

Mr. Heley and his wife

and drove to their beauti-

ful bunglow. After din-ner with Mr. and Mrs.

Heley the Swami gave

an interesting and illumi-

nating discourse' on the

real purpose of' human

life in' this world and the

mixed students were much

moved to - their sense of

responsibility as human

beings, distinct from any

other animal-birth.

On invitations from the

various Universit ies and

Societies of Germany,Czechoslovakia and

for Central Europe in

October 1934 and returned to London in June 1935 after his

rather prolonged stay on the Continent. Immediately after re-

turn and making his usual calls on the Members and sympathi-

sers of the London Gaudiya Mission Society, the Swami arrang-

ed for a public lecture on July 18th, 1935 at the Caxton Hall

Swami B. H. Bon in quietness in his pr ivate-

room at the Eastbourne Centre.

20

Austria, the Swami left

s u e ND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

IIlld 'I' the auspices of the Society. The Right Honourable Lord

I,unin zton, G. C. M. G., G. C. 1. E., Vice-President of the

So 'i ' ly, presided and the Swami spoke on the "Philosophical

I I , ! ( kI round of Hinduism". The lecture was followed by a"

HWtllll1 n, H. Bon delivering his lecture at the Caxron Hall, Westminster, S. \Y/.,

the Right Hon. Lord Lamington presid ing.

I1L I I .11ber of questions and their prompt replies. Amongst others

the following ladies and gentlemen were present:-

Dr. Stavros C. Damogton, F. G. Pratt, C. S. 1., M. K. Sen,

r. I-I. Brown, C. 1. E., S. N. Ghose, A. Nell, J . M. Dutt, K. M.

tronde, P. Holland, Dr. K. N. Sitaram, Mrs. G. Foden, T. C.

aha, S. Span-Dunk, Mrs. Bhaduri, Dr. B. E. Fernard, E. Kod-

21



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSlON IN EUROPE I 1 1 (: () ND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

rigo, E. J. J. Edwards, F. M. Lee, E. F. Odell, P. J. Gom s,

C. R. Corbett, K. N. Das Gupta, Syed M. Sayeedulla, B. K.

Simha, Lilian Martin, Phyllis Rice, Mr. Chopra, Mr. and Mrs.

B. N. Internent, Frederick Grubb, Mrs. T. M. Moor, Sir Philil

MacPherson, S. K. Das, Mrs. Percy Mitchell, K. A. Hameed,

Sarah de Laredo, Kathleen Shaw, Sir Francis Younghusbane!,

Lord Lamington, F. J. P. Richter, Dr. s . Das, E. Powter, K. M.

Stronde, J . R. Hausman, H. P. Smith, Sarashipae!a Bose, Mary

Dootey, Mr. J . Nilson.

INTERVIEWS AND DISCUSSIONS:

II WIIS felt that public lectures were not sufficient to give that

Illllt'I' uncierstanding of Hindu Philosophy and Religion, which

I' liJ(; aim of the Gaue!iya Mission to promote. The Swami,

1 1 1 1 ' 1 ' . Iorc, organised private group-discussions and many per-

1 1 ( 1 1 I I I I interviews with important and interested people.

l 'rof 'cssor Sorabji, M. A. and Mrs. Sorabji invited Swami B. H.

1I()/1and Swami B. P. Tirtha to their country-house at Hay-

Will',b J-Ieath on June 5th, 1934. The Professor also invited

'H'V '!'a! of his friends of the same village to meet the Swamijis

IIld they had a lively time in discussing the different aspects

iii f\ practical religious life, be it in Hinduism or in Christia-

lIily, A group photo was taken and the two Swamis returnee!

I() I. ne!on by train.

'('Ile Han. Lady Stanley Jackson, .Vice-President of the Gaudiya

M ission Society in London, invited Swami Bon to tea at her

I' 'si lence on June lIth, 1935, and she suggested various waysh y which the objects of the Society might be enhanced. Her

II,dysbip was much liked when she was in Bengal, and this

her sincere interest in the activities of the Gaudiya Mission in

I\llgland has endeared her all the more to the people of Bengal

iII particular.

'lh Maharajadhiraj Bahadur of Burdwan invited the Swami

several times to his London residence and discussed on the

. 2223



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPEI I I , : ( ) ~ YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

possibility of propounding the inner principles of Gaud iy u

Vaishnavism in Europe. As aIover of Bengali literature and

being himself a Vaishnava by birth, the Maharajadhiraj Bahadu:

has all a long been an active sympathiser of the Mission.

II1IIIII 11 the best method to bring home to the intelligents ia of

1"111111(.1he aims of the Gaudiya Mission and its message. His

1IIIIhldr was also very. much interested to know about the

III iYilieistic, pantheistic and henotheistic conceptions in Hin-

d l l h l J n .

MII)o!' . eneral the Right Hon. Sir Frederick Hugh Sykes, P. c.,(, (:. S. 1. , G. C. 1. E., G. B. E., K. C. B., C. M. G. listened

\\'1111ntere~t to the Swami on the point of view of the Gaudiya

~IIN,~j1 about the Deutsche Glaubens-Bewegung of Prof. Hauer

II' w ·1 1 as about the Theosophical Society.in India.

His Excellency Lord Erskin, the Governor of Madras, before

leaving for India, invited Swami B. H. Bon at his lordship's

residence at 6, St. James's Square, who specially enjoyed lo

discuss various aspects of Hindu social and religious life .

His Excellency Sir John Anderson, the Governor of Bengal,

who had known Swami Bon on several occasions while ill

India, who recently paid a visit to the Headquarters of the

Mission at Sri Mayapore, Nadia, the Birth-place of Sri Krishna

Chaitanya, received Swami Bon at the Reform Club in London

and expressed his congratulations on the Swamiji's winter-pro-

gramme in Central Europe and on his great success in Englan I.

His Excellen~y assured the Swami of his deepest sympathies.

The Lady Carmichael of Skirling, Vice-President of the Gaudiya

Society in London, invited the Swami to. her London residen

and mentioned that she was only happy to do anything that

might be posible for her ladyship for the furtherance of the

Society in London.

t\ 111()I~gstthers, Swami B H. Bon had discourses on religious

Idlj ' cts with Sir Edward Denison Ross, His Highness the

MIiIH'.I:ajaf Porebandar, His Highness the Maharaja of Dewas II,

I'I~IHighness the Ruler of Denkanal, Mr. Nehra, Miss Stella

MI'nd, Mr. F. H. Brown, Mr. P. K. Dutt, Mr. F. J . P. Richter,

MI'. Arnold Corbluth.

II was indeed very kind of Sir Hugh MacPherson, K. C. 1. E.,

( . '. 1 . to invite Swami Bon to his residence and advise

liill on such subjects which would help the Swami in his

IIIILire activities in the West. The sympathetic attitude and

uniable mentality of Sir MacPherson much impressed the Swami.

' , '11 Swami was very delighted to meet the Right Hon. Sir

Sli:~di Lal, and was deeply touched to find his inclination

II) study San~krit in order to know more thoroughly the real

:dll'ific~nte of the Teachings of the Hindu Scriptures, which

1 1 1 1 1 be truly understood and realised in life, as he himself

l'ifl'htly believes , only under the unconditional guidance of an

unnlloyedSpiritual Master.

The Swami had many different deep philosophical discussions

with-Mr. H. S. L. Polak, Mr. F. J. P. Richter and Mr. F. G.

Pratt, all of whom take a great deal interest in philosophical

discussions.

On his return from Germany in June 1935, the Swamiji had

opportunities to meet the Right Hon. Lord Lamington and

24 25



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EURO.!I!

Swami Bon interviewed Sir Findlater Stewart, G. C. 1. g"

K. C. B., K. C. I. E., C. S. I., Permanent Under-Serrcuu Y

of State for India, at the India Office before he left fO i

Central Europe in October, 1934. Last year 's report already ilt

knowledged the Mission',

gratitude to Sir Findlat 'I

for his helpful sympathy,

and the Swami IS glut!

to mention in the se ru ]

year's report that lilt'

good relation firmly call

tinues.

The Right Honourable

Colonel Sir SamuelHoart·,

G. C S. 1. , G. B. u,C. M. G., M. P., Secretary

of State for Foreign

Affairs and Ex-Secretary

of State for India, has

been showing his since.

sympathy with the Swami

from the beginning f

his activities in England

since 1933 when ir

Samuel Hoare was the

Secretary of State for India. By his friendliness and amiable

personality hehas won the hearts of the Indians, and one

can ~ell hope that now with heavier responsibili ties as Foreiern

Secretary he will be a remarkable instrument in trying to

establish peace in the world, of which the world is so much

The Right Hon. Colonel Sir Samuel Hoare,Foreign Secretary (Ex-Secretary

o f S ta te fo r India ).

26

Mile ND YEAR OF THE GAUDIY A MISSION IN EUROPE

III 1 1 1 . 1 d, as far as is left in human hands. The Gaudiya

"liN, ion is very grateful to Sir Samuel Hoare for the interest

III ' hn s shown in the Mission's activities in England. It is not

'it I 111J.I.chhe brain of statesmanship of Sir Samuel Hoare

I I " I I has much appealed

III Ih religious people of

lurlin, but it is his heart

which has gIven ex-

I"('ssi n to his faith in

(;od. The eldest sister of

,'II ' iamuel Hoare IS the

, ' iN t 'c- uperior at the Con-

VI'IlI' at Wantage, and his

Immediate elder sister is

1 1 1 1 ' wife of the Right

I((,V rend Bishop Paget.

II is therefore natural

Illite be also should have

,I l 'cligious bent of mind.

'I'lie Right Hon. Vis-

I(ilint Halifax has been

r

nntinually showing hisI 1 1 1 crest in the activities

I I i ' the London Gaudiya

Mission Society, and has

Mr. R. A. Butler, M. P. Parliamentary Under-

Sec re ta ry o f S ta te f or India .

I) ri regularly in cortes-

pondence with the Swami inspite of his heavier works now

III the War Office.

Mr. R. A. Butler, M. P., Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

COl ' India has already made his name permanent in the present

17




History of Political India. No less has he also gained the

cordial affection and good wishes of the purely spiritual men 0 1'

India for reason of his helping the Gaudiya Mission in

England.

LECTURES ATTENDED:

To remain 11 1 good understanding and to come in further

contact with the different social groups of London, the Swamij i

had to attend a number of lectures and meetings. To the

Annual Congress of the "League of the Helping Hand" it

Church House, Westminster, on June llth, 1934, he sent his

colleagues Tridandi Swami B. P. Tirtha and Herrn Ernst-Georg

Schulze. They met there the Rt. Rev.' Bishop Willesdon,

The Rt. Rev. John Maillard and Miss Edith Ashby, the Secret-

ary of the League, who were all very much interested in hear-

ing about the Gaudiya Mission and its activities in the WesL.

Tridandi' Swami Bon attended the lecture of Mr. Harold

Butler, C . B. E., on "India and the International Labour

Office" under the auspices of the East India Association on

July 10 th, 1934, and had there an interview with SirBhupenclra

Nath Mitra, K. C . S. 1. , K. C . L E., C . B. E., who presided

at the meeting. Other meetings that were attended: the lecture

by Rai Bahadur Ramaprasad Chandra on "Art in Orissa" it

the Royal Society of Arts, India Section; a meeting of the

Bengali Literary Society, the Ramakrishna Society, Celebration

of the 75th birthday of Rabindra Nath Tagore, the Annual

General Meeting of the East India Association at Caxton Hall,

the lecture of Swami Yogananda at Caxton Hall on July 8th,

1935, lecture at Mr. Fiddes Watt's on July 14th, the Annual

General Meeting of the British Empire League at Mansi n

18

smCOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

11()LI.sewhere the Earl of Stradbroke, K. C. M. G., C . A.,

(:. V. D., C . D. E., presided; lecture of the East-India Associa-

I ion, Caxton Hall on "Inda in transition" on July 16th,

l.c ture of Dr. Sunity Chatterji at Delhi Restaurant on "Hindu

Culture", where Lieut.-Colonel Sir Francis Younghusband,

1'. C . S, 1. , K. C . 1 . E., presided and on August 7th Mr. Guru

Kilday Dutt, 1. C. S., lecture at Caxton Hall on the "Union

of East and West" where Sir Francis Younghusband was again

President.

SOCIAL FUNCTIONS ACCEPTED:

Of the social meetings Swami Bon had to attend for the

Iurtherance of the mutual understanding, especially with the

I ·ading circles of English Society, the following may be men-

Iioned . a Tea :given by the Majarajadhiraj Bahadur of

11mlwan, G. C . 1 . E., K. C . S. 1 ., 1 . O. M. to meet Mr.

U. A. Woodhead, the Governor-Designate of Bengal, on

. I . lIy 18th, 34. The Swamiji had opportunities there to talk

w i t h the Most Honourable the Marquess of Zetland and The

IIGo. Lady (Stanley) Jackson, on the activities of the Gaudiya

Mission Society. At Grosvenor House on July 24th he met the

Marquess and Marchiones of Linlithgow (Viceroy-Designate)

,n d the Members of the Joint Select Committee at a gathering,

w i en invitations were sent in the name' of the Right Honour-

uhle Lord Lamington. Then the Swarniji went to an "At

I lome", arranged by Sir Bhupendra Nath Mitra, K. C . S. 1. ,

I'. .E. I., C . B. E., to meet the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Willing-

[on, G. C . S. 1. , G. C . M. G., G. C . 1 . E., G. B. E., and the

Countess of Willington, C . 1 ., G. B. E. on July 25th, 1934.

()11 October 17th, before starting for the Continent, Swami

29




Bon attended a Reception at Grosvenor House to meet His

Excellency Sir John Anderson, Governor of Bengal. On his

return from Germany the Swamiji accepted invitations to

a Reception, given by the Lord Mayor at Mansion House on

June 24th, the Indian Empire and Eastern Garden Party, at

Hurlingham Club on July 1st, a Reception to meet Sir Malcolm

Haily at Great Fosters, Sussex on July 6th, the Social Meeting

of the Hindusthani Social Club on July 10th, the Reception

of the Hindu Society of Great Britain to meet His Highness

the Maharaja Sadasiva Rao Khashib Pawar Dewas II on

July 26th, a Reception of the Khalsa Jatha to meet Bahadur

Mohan Singh and Sardarni Mohan Singh on the 30th July,

and the Reception of Sir Bhupendra Nath Mitra at India House

to meet the Indian Delegates to the Empire Parliamentary Con-

ference on July 24th.

YISITORS TO THE LONDON MONASTERY:

Tridandi Swami B. H. Bon had the great honour to welcome

at his place many serious people as guests; deep thoughts on

the fundamental ideas of spiritual life were exchanged. In

1934 Dr. -Saha was guest in the home for eight days, later

Miss Waltraut Hassenstein, came for a week-s-MissHassenstein

is the daughter- of Regierungsrat Hassenstein, with whom

Swamijistayed and enjoyed the great hospitality of the Germans

when he came for the first time to Berlin in 1933 The

following guests came to listen to religious talks and honoured

the Mission by taking either dinner or lunch with the Swamiji:

Mr. Dikshit on July 2nd, Rai Bahadur Ramaprasad Chanda,

Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Gupta on July 22nd, Purohit Swami on

July 29th, Mr. -Earnest Champness, Secretary to the Adult

30

S I ' : OND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

,'I hool organisations, July 3rd; Miss Ashby, Secretary to the

I,('dg'ueo f the Helping Hand, Miss Sarah de Laredo, Mr. and

M I'S. Panna Lal, I. C. S., who listened to the discourses on

1111kti- Yoga and how to bring home its principles to the

11(' [ t rt of the people in -the West; Mademoiselle M. Mange,

PIII'i~,in August and September 1934, Dr. Adolf Steven, Frl.

11('1'1 ha Dahlke, Dr. med. Burckmann from Germany, Tao

('IiLin (Dr. Martin Steinke) from Shanghai, Dr. phil. Auster

II,~representative of some Berlin people who are interested

Iii Indian philosophy, in September and O~tober 1934. Several

Ii l lnes the Rt. Reverend Pater Daniel Feuling of the Beuron

llcnedicrine Order came to the Mission's place to have dis-

Iourses on Indian Theology and religious psychology. Pater

I uniel, who is a famous professor of philosophy of the

(,:n,tholic University, Salzburg, expressed his utmost apprecia-

lion of the earnest religious atmosphere he found in the

M( nastery, He was deeply attracted by the picture of His

I ivine Grace, the President of the Gaudiya Mission. He con-

nidcred him, according to his angle of vision, as being of

Iti l best sanctity, equal in rank at least to the highest Catholic

Snil1ts. He was very interested to see samples of handwritin o-,b'

/l lylc and various photos of His Divine Grace. Sometimes

lie talked to the Swamiji over seven hours .a day on the

different aspects of Guruship, the position of the Pope, the

IIirterences in the conception of the infallibility of a Real

(;LIl"Ll and that of the Pope, the methods of approach to the

Supreme Lord. Pater Feuling kindly arranged for a lecture

h y the Swami at the Beuren Monastery in Germany.

") 1935 Mr, R. Roy, Mr. and Mrs. P. K. Dutt, Mr. and

Mrs. D. N. Dutt, Mr. Kedar Nath Das Gupta, Mr. M. N. Sen,

31.



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIY A MISSION IN EURor]"!

M. A ., B. 1., Mr. K. K. Roy, M. A., Mr. B. k. Basu (U

Mayor of Calcutta), Sir Ganen and Lady Roy and their tW(I

daughters, Mr. Francis Gordwin had the kindness to tak«

dinner and lunch with the Swarniji.

It has not been possible to give a full list of the numerou,

visitors who came to the Office of the Gaudiya Mission iii

London, for discourses: people of all social circles and pl'Ofessions, all interested in the Message of Sri Krishna Cha i

tanya,' as propounded by the representatives of the Gaudiyu

Mission under the benign guidance of the Spiritual Master

arid President of the Mission.

AT THE LONDON MONASTERY:

Swami B. H. Bon had to work hard at his Office desk in ord 'I'

to cairy on with the correspondence with about 1000 ladies and

gentlemen with' whom the Swami had come more in personal

touch. During the year, more than 5000 letters were despatched,

The life ..in the Monastery was very lively. Meetings, rc-

ceptions, . lectures, Visitors, guests together with the enormous

correspondence, preparation for the Continental lectures, thestudy of Oriental and Continental languages, and literary works of

various kinds absorbed the energy of the inmates of the Mission.

CELEBRATIONS:

Sri Janmastami, Sri Radhastami, Vijaya-Dasharni, Ekadashi

and other Hindu Religious Functions were striclty celebrated

at 3, Gloucester House, Cornwall Gardens.

32

~I: OND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

TRIDANDI SWAMI B. P. TIRTHA:

wumi Tirtha worked in London for about one year, render-

Ilig invaluable' literary works as well as telling the visitors

lilld the public about the spiritual Message of Sri Krishna

(Imitanya. Above all his

1IIIbi personality was a

' 1 1 1 1 1 ' e of great joy and

illspiration to the JD-

IIH~tes of the Mission

while his simplicity was

l'I 'Ui'l. tlyappreciated by all

who came in touch with

IIiIn. After a year's work

in London, the Swami

Idit for India on Septern-

Il.:l' 7th, 1934, who is

IIOW in ac tive service 111

I he Northern Provinces.

I 1: . SAMBIDANANDA

DAS, M. A., Ph. D. :

r. S. Das came to Lon-

d n along with Swami

Ilon and Swami Tirtha in

1 33 after pass111g the M. A. Exam of the Calcutta

University. In London he was an internal student of

the London School of Oriental Studies and was under

Swarm B. H. Bon despa tching let te rs from

3 Gloucester House , Cornwall Gardens ,

London, S. W. 7.

33




Dr. Barnett while preparing his thesis for his Doctoral'

Degree. Very recently Mr. Das has made his Doctoral'

jn Philosophy. Dr. Das has for the first time writt 11

a comprehensive thesis of about 1200 pages on the History

and Literature of t11'

Gaudiya Vaishnava School,

WIe heartily congratulat<:

Dr. Das on his success,and hope that his. thesis

will soon be published

which will certainly be

an invaluable book for

research scholars.

PREPARATIONS FOR

CENTRAL EUROPE

Swami B. H. Bon re-

ceived a number of in-

vitations from severalUniversi ties and Societies

Swami B. H. Bon learning the German of Central Europe, an 1

language. he was desired to deliver

his lectures in the Ger-

man language of which he had no previous knowledge.

But as the lectures were arranged sufficiently ahead, the

Swami took a bold heart and replied that he would

be able to read out his lectures in German as requested.

34

I I Ilr~l) EAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

I' III d ~ ' 1 1 1 of time was given, while still in London, to

1 1 1 11 I II Il g f the language and after one month's inten-

1 1 1 I 1 y , Ihe Swami was able to read out his papers suffi-

I 1 1 1 1 1 ' w e , l l in German.

Wi l J111 1 3 . H. Bon is seen at his table, writing out his lectures.

IIIi IIIt'pltl'a tioi1 of the lectures to be delivered at different

1IIIhl'l, il ics and Societies in 'Germany, Czechoslovakia and

1 1 ' 1 1 rill d uring the ensuing winter was the next step. For

1 1 I I I'll rlou subjects, suggested by the University - authorities,

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ' 1 II I was supplied by the Swamiji's Spiritual Master and

I" III ! l11l rs ; this the Swami arranged in a form suitable for

1111 III1 (\ill' pean audiance,

1 1 1 1 ' I I ' ( I I I res were then translated into German by Herrn

I 1 1 1 1 1 1 (;e rg Schulze, a young German graduate of the

I,Ii 1 / , 1 / \ 'University, who made a special study of the

35



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIY A MISSION IN EUROPI(

Herr Ernst-Georg 'Schulze,

who was with Swami Bon as his Private

Secretary during his lecture tour to the

various Universi ties in Germany,

Czechoslovakia and Austr ia .

Comparative History III

Religions. He accompnll

ed Swami Bon all thr l I M 1 1

his lecture-tour in Cenlrul

Europe as his Privnl

Secretary and Assisuui l

On October 20th,J9'\ I ,

Swami B. H. Bon startex]

with Herrn E. G. Scl1ull.l'

from London for B c d l l l

and arrived there (III'

next day. RegierunWI

rat Hassenstein, Fdul 'III

Hassenstein, Fraulein vWI

Pettersdorf and others It'

ceive them at the ZOIi

logischer Garten Station

and motored them III

Eisenacher Straf3e 29, (lit'

Centre for the Gaud i Y 1 1

Mission in Berlin.

II IINl YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

IN CENTRAL EUROPE:

IN BERLIN:

1 1 1 1 1 III L ndon Swami B. H. Bon. was already in corres-

1 " 1 1 . / 1 1 1 1 1 ' with the organisers of the Lessing-Hochschule, and

I I 1 1 1 1 1 1

as he arrived in Berlin definite arrangements were1 1 1 1 0 1 1 IIII' his lectures. The Swami made a call on His Magni-

II 1 1 1 1 1 ' I" ' Rector of the Technische Hochschule and Leader

II 1 1 1 1 ' I ,l 'ssing-Hochschule, S.A.-Oberfiihrer Prof. Dr. A. von

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 IIlid had a talk with him on the nature of the activities

II ilil (1i1l1diyaMissioninIndia. The Swami made a lasting im-

I" 1 1 I 1 1 Oil the Professor and immediately drew his sympathy.

III. ~1 t 1 . ~ 1 1 ificence had since then several talks with Swami

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 various subjects. He arranged three lectures for vthe

, l l l d II( the. Lessing-Hochschule and himself attended one

1 1 1 1 1 ' ltis wife attended twoof them. A leading Officerof

1 11 1 N ll l . i . .A., Prof. Arnirn is a man of very friendly

I " 1 1 1 1 1 11'1', mild in disposition and peace-loving at heart. In

tllli I' o r a talk, His Magnificence once told Swami Bon

1 1 1 1 1 I I I ' w uld always prefer to. go out into .v = country,1 1 1 1 I I while in the extensive fields wavering with spontaneous

I l d l l l l ' find elevote a portion of the day's time to the

1IIIIIIgil is 11Divinity instead of giving way to the .present-

" 1\' uuuln 55 , as he put it, of the growing generation for too

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 of a busy life on land and in the air.

1111, 'wnmi begs to express the deep gratitude of the Gaudiya

MI' 1 1 1 1 to His Magnificence for all the practical interest he

Iill HIIOwl'l o the Swami in his activities in Germany.



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIY A MISSION IN EUR P I I l'IINl YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

I " Id l l 0I f ice to giv e th e Sw am i a ll po ssible fa cilitie s th a t th e

11111I Illy n eed w hile in Germ an y . The Gaud iy a M is sio n begs

II I I 'S , ' i ts v e r y .sincere th an kfu ln ess to H is E xce lle ncy fo r th is .

I 1 11 11M in istry o f P ro -

,llId ll, Sw am i B on h ad

I II ,I II lntcrview w ith th e

I 1 . 11 '1 I ll ' th e O ffice , Dr.

III II I \ 1 i 1 ' 1 as w ell a s w ithII 1111 IkSeife rt. The

1 1 1 1 1 IH US been deep ly

111'1I I 11( ld by th e k in d ly

I 1IIIII lII I ' h e rece iv ed

1 II II II II Il'ln . D r. S eif ert is

Frau vo n A rn im , w ife o f H is M agn if icen ce , h as a lw ay s I ltllll

a grea t d ea l o f in te rest in the lectu res o f th e Sw am i. S I 1 ( ' II

vited [lie Sw am i to tea a t h e r place and ta lked in m o re 'III I I

n ess an d listen ed to 1111

devo tio na l prayers f ill

Sw am i. She is a fine lid,

o f a n a dm ira ble charnr l: I

Sw am i Bo n m ade a 10111tesy ca ll o n H is II

ce llen cy Sir Eric Ph /IIi' \

K. c. M. G., M. V, (] ,

th e B ritish Ambassarh ii,

a t th e Em bassy and I II

f o rm ed H is Exc Iklll\,

abo ut h is activ itie s I I

En glan d a s w ell a s n l1 ll1 ll

h is to u r p rogramme II I

C en tra l Eu ro pe . H is It

ce lJen cy to ok an in[I'1! NI

in th e w is he d- fo r a tL C IlI JlI

1 11 ,1 11 c ll1 g m a n , v ery

1"111, ' 1 1 1 1 6 1 all-a ttention

It t II lt ll iI I' .~ . H e h a s r ep e at -

II I II~«red th e Sw am i o f

Iii IINI dIcn cy H erm Dr.

1 I111) I I ! 'L~ 'Hympa thy wi th

I II 1 11 11 1o lit ic al w o r k.

II III Indeed v ery k in d

I II 'I M a jesty the Ex-

o f th e Sw am i in n l'l

His Magnificence the Rector of the Berlin m any , an d in order II ITechnische Hochschule and Leader of the brin g h im in to uch w liltLessing-Hochschule, S.A.-Oberfiihrer Professor

th e lead in g people II I

Germ an y , h e introdrn lId

h im to H is Exce llen cy D r. J . Go ebbe ls , th e M in iste r fo r PI'()I'II

gan da o f th e Germ an Go vernm en t.

The Sw am i presen ted a few publica tio n s o f th e M issio n II

H is Exce llen cy D r. Go ebbe ls . H is Exce llen cy w as very 1111111

plea sed to h ea r abo u t th e M issio n o f th e Sw am i an d killdl)1

Hi s Exce llency He rr Re ichsmin isr er f iir Vo lks-

Ihi I of Germ an y to aufklarung und Propaganda, Dr. J. Goebbels.

IIIII wlill' 11 a v ery sym -

I 1111tII k tter to the Sw am iji an d to h ave ho n o u red him w ith

1111 P II 'H .:n ta tio n o f H is M ajesty 's pho to w ith h is sign a tu re

lit I Itll",1 I; h im hea rtily fo r sen din g h im th e publica tio n s o f

lilt (:lllIdiya M issio n . Sw am i Bon had a lso o ppo rtu n itie s

'" Iitil. w ith H erm Baro n von Se lb, th e Ka ise r 's B erlin -

I 1111"IIIa tiv e , w ho co nveyed th e Ka ise r's best w ish es fo r the

Dr. A. von Arnim.

38 39



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN 12 IH Ii'!

H is M ajesty the Getm an Ex-Ka is er W ilhe lm II.

40

II I YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

1,1 r tt to bring home to the people of the West

1IIIIIIIiI ideas of Hinduism. The Kaiser is deeply

01 ill the Comparative History of Religion and

1 1 1 1 1 l'rof. Dr. Edu-

1111Ii/ l ,VI' , the world-

I 1'llIrl's~or of Philo-

1 1 1 1 . 1 Pedagogics,

dOlI many.occa-

\I III the Swamiji

111I1dl ' l11s of .Eastern

I I II 'I 'I ~ Philosophies

1 '111 '111 gies. Herr

l 'I ,l llgcr .continued

hll \ I tis keen interest

111110111 Theo l ogy all

II . dill, l i n d it is to be

.l Illnt the good

II•q Ii Ii v o l understand-

lilly hl'illig its golden

III 'lhe Swami could

I l l y 1111.1 in Germany Geheim ra t Pro f. Dr. Eduard Spran ge r.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ' sincere arid

1" 1 Ildl1l'er than He:f11.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I I I rof. Spranger. The Professor has very kindly

I" d 111\.1 corrected the manuscript of the Swamiji's second

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 IH I I "Die Personlichkeit und Bewegung Sri-Krishna-

IIUIIIlIY,IS". For this and for all his interest in the Swamiji's

I I I , 1 1 1 ( ' audiya Mission heartily thanks him.

41



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN 1(11/11,11

Herr Geheimrat Prof. Dr. Grutzmacher, th '1i11,1 It!

Religionswissenschaft liche Abtei lung of the Less i l 'lg.1 IIII II , III I

on various occasions expressed his great interest it) 1111

activities. Prof. Grutzrnacher is an erudite s b 1(11III I'"

sophy an 1 II/ I , "Religions. Ii' llil

been his wisll 1Iltii I

best represenlillll'l 11/"

various livint{ III J 1 I

of the world 11111)'"

quested to sp 'iii 1111I,

respective I'll 'OIIIJ'/I

the Lessing 110111II"tI

Swami Bon hilblldy ,II I'

cia tes his open 11111Ii1I I

amiable na tu ' · v , 1'1 I

Griitzmacher 11" I I

mised to an~llf (' 1111,

gular monthly It'I/1l11

theLessing-Ho('i,11l11l11t ,

soon as the SWIIIII III

again return to (Ii 1111 I ,

in November, /1 1 I I"

Gaudiya Mission I II 1 /

Geheimrac Prof. Dr: Grurzmacher,

Leiter del' Religionswissenschnftlichen

Abteiluog der Lessiog-Hochschule.

grateful to him.

Prof. r» . J . Witte, Professor of Comparative 1'liHlllll'

Religion, of the Berlin University, who arranged for II 1II1II

at the University and Prof. Dr. Horn, Professor or 1 1 , 1 1 Ii I

Philology, under whose auspecis the second lecture was ill'lilllllf ,I i

both did a great deal for the furtherance of th ( :IIlld I I

42

I I (INo YEAR OF THE GAUDIY A MISSION IN EUROPE

11111n Berlin. Over 500 scholars and advanced students

III" with the greatest interest to the explanations of the

, of Sri Krishna Chaitanya. The first lecture, arranged by

W illc , was on "the Philosophy of Sri Krishna-Chaitanya"

IIII N xond was on "India: her religion and culture".

Wlli . invited the Swami to his residence andhad a homely

the chances-of' Christianity iii the world

I 1'1(Ii'. Dr. Wagner, Lector of Bengali at the Berlin Uni-

i i \ " IN a very enthusiastic friend of Bengalr Literature.

I liI<.: only scholar in Germany who teaches Bengali

" ' / , 1 ' , R ently the first book in Bengali script was publish-

I, ! 11111\n Germany. The Swami much admired hispoetical

I II It 111h is translating several Bengali poems into Germapr:

1\, which he showed to the Swami when he wasiny,ited'

I I .11 h is place by Mrs. Wagner.

II N, Bannerjea, Ph. :p.; the Lecturer for Indian History

(lilllll' at the University of, Berlin, has' always been

IIII 10 a sist the Swamijiin his difficult task to get' the

I IIIII tact ';"ith the various social circles in :Berlin, He

IJI 1 " 1 1 Ilil care to help the Indian students who are coming

II " II tudies to Berlin. Dr. and Mrs. Bannerjea have done

"11111111,'ervices- to the Mission's cause. The Swami will

II It'1I1nin thankful to them for all their sincerity and

I I , , i I II "I they have given him.

'11/1.lm, Secretary of the Deutsche Akademische Aus-

I IIIIII'IINI', who had introduced the Swami to the Universities

43



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIY A MISSION IN II I 111111

of Berlin and Konigsberg when he came for the III I II

on the Continent, kindly arranged for a visit t Ilit, f I, II

Berlin High School, the Grunewald-Gymnasium Will" II

Swami saw the methods of teaching boys in the 1 dill 1 '1 I I

and could talk to the teachers and their pupils lllllllil II,

the function of the human soul. The teach I'S 1111.1II,

pupils of Ilit' II "

nasium cordially W I ] .1 11 11

ed the Swami III ill I

School, and til' I ) II II II

was all-attention III I"

the Swami I' 11I1l1 II

different classes, I III

Bon was particlIll" \' lit

terested to lis! 'II III III

Biological class, 1)1 II

helm fur ther S' '1111.1lit

Government's l)l 'I '111I11'1i

for the Swami lo ,II I I

NewNational-P Iii I "II

ziehungsanstalt ill r I "

zelle. The Mission I'" IIly appreciates all 111111II

Wilhelm did t 11'1111{II

Swami in conuut will

the representa tive, 01 I "II

. cationallife in '111111111

Swami B. H. Bon reading Prof . Wagner 's

German t ranslat ions of, Bengal i Poe try a t

his place.

In the Right Reverend Dr. Forell, preacher-inchar (II IIII

Swedish Church, the Swami found an erudite sch 1111'uu]

a sincere friend of spiritual India. It has been very 111111I

44

',lie: ND YEAR OF THE GAUDlYA MISSION IN EUROPE

I" l ilt ing to the Swami to learn how well the Right Reverend

l'I'I'sed. in the Western Literature on India,

I II E x ellency the Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church in

I I l l l l n invited Swami Bon to his place twice to discuss on the

1 1 1 1 1 ' 1 'Ilt aspects of Christianity and Hinduism, The Bishop is

Iliofol1nd scholar though he himself confessed that he did

11111kMW

much about Indian philosophies. The Swami wasIldlHJd about the orthodoxy of the Old Greek Church, which

1111111/-111atholic, is not under the Pope of Rome. This Church

III I" Bishop in Berlin also observes all the old rituals

11111orms and prayers that were in voke in the 1-Oth Century.

lilt, Honourable Furst Nicola i Massalsky and Princess Massalsky

1lll'il'd the Swami to tea and. talked on several occasions on

1I11)',i()l.l,subjects. These were the first Russians of the nobility

111111wh om the Swami bad come in contact for the first time

III" ti l .re fore was very much pleased to have tbeir acquaintance.

I Ii'l Ex ellency Lady Koch, the widow of the famous Chemist,

1111':tee Professor Koch who bad been for a long time in India,

l ruwcd her interest in Indian Philosophy and Religion by

IIII'litiing the regular religious classes the Swami held at the1"'llIn entre. Her Excellency also invited the Swami to tea and

.111111('1'nd listened more closely t o what particular message the

vnmi has to bring to the West. Though the subject-matter

III Ih talks of the Gaudiya Mission was rather difficult to

lullow, it is hoped that Her Excellency will be able to grasp

1111'111lowly in near future:

1111Ir,Dyrenfurth, the leader of the German, Himalayan Ex-

IIIIiiii n and Mrs. Dyrenfurth met the Swami on n:any

45



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN n I ()I'II

occasions, particularly with reference to their last pul 111111li

and were very much interested to hear about t11 1111111111

religious life of the rural Indians. Mrs. Dyrenfurtl I 1I1I

energetic lady, who takes great interest in all that j 11111II

The Swamiji has furthermore the honour to thanl I'IIIi II I

Tarachancl Roy, M. A. of the Oriental Seminary, Dr. Ilyllllll

who also.invited the Swami to tea at his Treptow h L I S t " illi,J

Dr. Stevens for the kind sympathy they have shown hln:

It has been very much encouraging to notice I'h~' II I II

interest Herr Dr. Erich Kays er took in the SWlllllljl

mission's message. From the very beginning Dr. I ,11 I

never missed an 'i)pportunity to attend the weekly cl(lstl ,111i1

has always shown his sincere inclination to try to LlI1d,'1""I

and adopt in life the real teachings of Divine Love.

Frau Hauptmann Moreli and Fraulein Gabriele Schmilt: 1 1 1 1 1 1

mann devoted much time to helping the Swami in J'IIIIJiIIl

German and oftened to this theological teaching, 1 " 1 ' [ 1 1 1 \1,11

Muller invited the Swami on many occasions at different IIII "

in order to introduce him ,to a large group of la lI'~ 1 1 1 1 . 1

gentlemen of the City, for which the Swami is very 1IIIII1I

thankful to her.

Mr. Walter Marth and Mrs. March were most regular t 1 1 1 1 1 lid

the Swami's weekly class and have' always taken every (jill "

try to understand and remember the sublime teachin S (11 III

Krishna Chaitanya. They also invited the, Swami severnI llilll

to their place at Dahlem and' always did 'their best l Ililt! I

Swami Bon feel quite at home in a country so diffcl"'liI lit

Holy Land of India. The Swami always remembers IV Iii

gratitude for the care they have taken for his health wlu :

he was all alone in a foreign big City like Berlin.

46


LECTURES;

'1'11(;well-attended lectures of Swami B. H. Bon given in Berlin

I'Nlllblished a lively exchange of ideas between the Swami

,llId all the interested people who came to see him at his

plllcc.

(I) Nov. 8th, 1934: "The Indian Aryan Message of the

Gaudiya Mission" at the Lessing-

Hochschule.

Leader of the Lessmg-Hochschu le

Prof. Dr. A. von Arnim, who' invited the

Swami to speak at the Hochschule.

47

. 1




(2) Nov. 10th, 1934: "The Philosophy of Sri Krishntl

Chaitanya" at the Berlin University,

( ) N 9th 1934 "The Hindu-view of Life", at tl1('ov. , :

Indian Students Association.

(4) Jan. 11th, 1935:

"The Spiritual Basis

of Caste-System" at

the Lessing -Hoch-

schule.

(5) Jan. 18th, 1935:

"Why submission to

the Spiritual Master

is an absolute necess-

ity?" at the Lessing-

Schule.

(6) Jan. 25th, 1935:

"India, her Religion

and Culture" at the

Berlin University.

Besides the third and sixth

lecture all lectures were

delivered in German Ian- .

guage. As people had

somehow got to know

that the Swamiji had just

48

Swami B. H. Bon

speaking at the University of Berlin.


started picking up German language and yet read out the

lectures in German successfully, the Swamiji was several times

cheered by the audiance which was fascinated by his teachings

as well as by his personality.

To bring home to those

people who wanted to

hear more about the true

aspects . of Hinduism,

Swami Bon started a

.religious class at his

place at 29, Eisenacher

Strasse. These classes

were held from the first

week of February, 1935,

till to the lastweek ofMay,

1935, and were attended

by an increasing number

of interested people.

The following different

subjects were discussed at

the weekly class:

. February 13, 1935: A

general survey of reli-

gious. India.'

A general interpretation of Hindu Theo-

logy.

Swami B. H. Bon exp lai ni ng - rhe Bhagava ram

- at the weekly class at Eisenacher Srra Se 29,

Berlin W. 30.

February 20, 1935:

WEEKLY CLASS:

February 27, 1935: Explanation of the conception of Hindu

Scriptures.

49




'March 6 ; 1935:. A general view on the various Schools In

Hinduism.

March 13, 1935: On the Upanishads.

Mar.ch.20, 1935; On Buddhism.

March 27, 19.35: .On Ahratism.

April 3, _1935:Sank;ra-phiiosophy ..

April 11; 1935: Criticism on Sankara-Philosophy.:

April 17, 1935: Rarnanuja-Philosophy,

April 24, 1935:. Vishnuswami-School.

May 1; 1935: Vallabha School.

May 8, 1935: Philosophy of Sri Krishna-Chaitanya.

May 15, 1935: Philosophy of Sri Krishna-Chaitanya.

May 22, 1935: An introductory explanation of the suprem-

acy of the Bhagavatam.

May 29, 1935: On the Bhagavatam.

THE SW AMI WORKING AT THE BERLIN CENTRE:

To become well versed in German Grammer and pronunciationthe Swami had to continue to take lessons in German language.

From the early morning till late in the night he had to work

-ha rd , The lectures he delivered at the various Universit ies have

'been partly published in German language under the title

"Gedankeniiber d~n Hinduismus" and another book has

been written 'by the Swami 'on "Die Personlichkeit und Be-

wegung Sri Krishna-Chaitanyas", which will come out in the

.German language with a "Foreword" by Herrn Ceheirnrar

Prof. Dr. Eduard Spranger.

.so

SECOND YEAR OF.THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

S'varr i B. H. Bon typing the manuscript of his two German books

"Gedanken iiber den Hinduisrnus" and "Die Pcrsori li chkcir uod

Bewegung Sri Krishna-Chaitanyas".

VISITS:

Many people came to the Swamiji's place to have talks with

him and he received many invitations to German homes. Herr

Regierungsrat Hassenstein and his family at whose place the

Swamiji was invited to stay when he came for the first time

to Germany in 1933 continued to give proofs of the hospitality

f tbe Germans.

The Swamiji felt greatly delighted at the Berlin Centre to

I' xeive Herrn Prof Dr. von Glasenapp of the Koenigsberg

IJniversity who had arranged for a lecture in Koenigsberg in

I I). 3 and Herrn Prof. Dr. Spiegelberg from the Technische

l l c chschule Dresden, with whom the Swarniji and h is assistant

lilly I while in Dresden on their lecture-tour. They had long

I ldks together o n the real meaning' of the Holy Scriptures of

Illd ill ana how to approach the Spiritual Master.

51




Herr Regierungs~at Dr. Martin Weigert, Ph. D., LL. D. has

been v~ry friendly from the very beginning with Swamiji's

works rn Germany. Dr. Weigert has all through his life tried

Herr Rcgierungsrar Dr. _Martin Weigert,

Ph.D., LL.D., Hon. Secr etary of the Gaudiya

Mis sion in Ber lin .

.to understand eastern thoughts and always realised how

~iffi~ult it was to follow them unless an european. actually came

m direct contact with the true representatives of so vast it

country like religious India. The Gaudiya Mission gratefully

acknowledges' the interest and assistance Dr. Weigert has

52


given to Swami Bon. The Mission further feels it as an

honour to have Herrn Dr. Weigert as its Hon. Secretary for its

13edin Centre.

SWAMI BON'S LECTURE-TOUR THROUGH GERMAN,

CZECHOSLOVAKIAN AND AUSRIAN UNIVERSITIES.

I raving received so' many invitations from- the various Univer-

siti 5 and Societies on the Continent, Swami Bon had to go

out for a lecture tour. Before starting, he had to write out

IIis lectures in German with the help' ()f his Private Secretary

Iterm E. G. Schulze.

AT LEIPZIG UNIVERSITY:

Swami Bon left Berlin on November 12th, 1934 by the morning

(rain for Leipzig . . He was received there; .at the Station by

two representatives of the Studentenschaft, Herrn Johannes

S.hmidt and Herrn Fritz Zeibig of the Nabonal-Socialistischen

Sbudenten-Bund. Accomodation was arranged .b y the Univer-

sity at the Continental Hotel. Hospitality was accorded to the

Swami. Herr Prof. Dr.' Berve,the Dekan of the Philoso-

phische Facultat of the University arranged for a lecture atl~ s largest Hall on "The Conception of Maya in the Indian

.R ligious Philosophy". The lecture took place on the 12th

in . the evening with Prof. Berve in the chair. An audiance of

n arly 700, composing many scholars and advanced students

us well as the intelligentsia of Leipzig was present. The large

uudiance listened with the greatest interest. After the lecture

It discussion-meeting took place over which Herr Prof. Dr.

Iii 0 1 . et phil. Joachim Wach presided. Thedifferent methods

53




how: to approach the transcendental realm arid the differences

between the various theistic schools in India and the' process

of Bhakti were the object of the discussion. The newspapers

brought out long reviews of the lecture and highly praised the

Swamiji for his splendid lecturing on so difficult a subject.

On the 13th morning the Swamiji Was invited to see the

famous Ethnological Museum in Leipzig. Herr Prof. Dr.

Krause, the Director and Herr Dr. Damme; his assistant, under-

took to show the Swamiji all the interesting objects of the

collection. Then he met Herrn Prof. Dt. Schultze, Director of

the Weltwirtschafts-Institut of the University, who was very

much eager to hear about the religious background of Indian

social and economical life. For tea Frau Therese Robitzsch,

one' of the leading personalities of the Leipzig intellectual.

circle, had arranged at her place when the Swamiji met Herrn

Johannes Schmidt, the responsible officer of the Nazi-Univer-

sity-Office, Herrn Fritz Zeibig and Herrn Ernst Ludwig,

graduates of the Leipzig Univers ity, who left on the Swamiji's

mind the best impression of the deep philosophic interest of

theyolll1g generation in Germany. Later in the afternoon,

Swami .Bon and Herr Prof. Wach took a .drive to the famous

Leipzig War-Monument, where they. visited the big halls and'

saw the-high sculptures on the outside of the monument, Then

the Swamiji met Herrn Prof. Dr. Theodor Litt, Prof. of Philo-

sophy at 'the University, who is an authority on Hegelianism.

Prof. Litt followed with great interest the explanations th

Swarniji gave as to the philosophy of Hegel and was astonished

to hear of the' deep transcendental conceptions of Indian philo-

sophy and theology .. At night the Swamiji had supper with

Prof. Lewin Schiickin:g,.the' Professor of English Literature at

54

, 'r:COND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

I h e L \pzig University. They talked for several hours about

I'" Iiffprent literary aspects of India and the West and the

IiiITi.ulties to understand the true background of culture. On

1 1i< .;L 4 th S w am i Bon met Herrn Dr. Paul Gabler , representa-

I l v c of the greatest German Protestant Mission and Private

S xretary to Herrn Director Dr. Ihmels. Dr. Giibler, who

Illtd been for some time in India, was very glad to have had

III' pportunityto talk with the Swamij i on the differences of

(Iiristianity and True Hinduism. In the afternoon the Swa-

Illiji was invited to tea by the well-known merchant Herrn

1 \ IH,I rs , who has noted private-collection of Orienta1.paintings

un d sculptures. Dr. Alfred Kuhn, a young but well known

l1('il lar of Chinese languages, was' also . present and an

It ucresting discussion began about the Hindu-Conception of the

I' ,I igioLlSart.

AT DRESDEN:

()n the 15th morning, Swami Bon had to start for Dresden,

where, he arrived at noon. Hospitality was offered to him and

I lis assistent by Herrn Prof. Dr. Spiegelberg, Prof. of the Sans-'

k r i t language at the Technische Hochschule. Herr Hans

Sllrke and Herr Weizmann, leader and sub-leader of the

I\Ctldemical-Nazi-Organisation arranged the lecture being

1I":kedby the Saxon Government. Swami Bon spoke at 8 in

III' night at the Technische Hochschule on the "Conception

of' the Aryan Indian of God". About 800 people were

P I' 'sent, representatives of the Army, the Government and the

II's t society came to listen to the interesting lecture. The press

hrought long articles next day and many people were deeply



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUR~?

impressed by the Message of the Gaudiya Mission which th 'y

had the opportunity to hear for the first time. The next day

the Swamiji gave some Sanskrit lessons to the Sanskrit -students

at the Hochschule and saw the most important buildil1AN

of the beautiful town. In the night he accepted an invitation

from th e Saxon Government at a concert given by the famous

German composer Richard Strauss at the Opera House. Tilt,

Rrepresentatives of the Government - Herr Minister ialdir 'k

tor Dr. Woelker from the Ministery for the Interior and tlw

General-Intendant of the Opera for the Minister of Culture-

availed themselves of the opportunity to convey to the Swamiji

the greetings of the' Saxon Government.

56

, I i C :OND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

AT PRAG:

1111'Swamiji had to start for Prag on the 17th of November

III 11i(.:morning, so that he could be in time in Prag, where

.1 1I'IIIIrewas arranged at

1 1 1 1 ' "Urania" on the

"Wily of the Aryan In-

tllllI t God". The Swa-

lid)i 1 , ) L l t up at Axa-Hotel,

III(' 11 1 st modern Hotel

• II Ihe old town, many

1IIIIIdings of which date

1 1 1 1 1 \ \ the middle-ages.

III' Swamiji was very

I'lmso I to see Herrn

Pl'o('. Dr. Moritz Winter-

IIII!!.,the famous Profes-

'IIII' f Sanskrit literature

Iii the Prag-University,

IlIlIOn st the audiance.

'I 'h , lecture left a very

rlll'ongimpression, for the

Ilvxt day many peopleIi11l1Co see the Swamiji

III the Hotel to have

Swami Bon speaking at the Kulrurbund

at Vienna.

11()Il"le talks on Hinduism with him. Herr Prof Dr. Bauer

I"om Oberrosental near Reichenberg discussed with Swami Bon

1 \ ) 1 ' many hours about the process of Bhakti and its differences

from other methods to attain to the transcendental realm.

l lcrrn Prof. Bauer and Mrs. Clara Schmidt, a very intelligent

Pm lady, continue to be interested and still exchange long

57



SECOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUR nu

letters with the Swamiji expressing the hope that the Swam J

may come again for lectures and stay some days long I' ,

a wish the Swamiji much likes to fulfill. In the afternoon

the Swamiji met Herrn Prof. Dr. Winternitz at tea and t l l e y

passed several hours on discussing philosophy.

AT VIENNA:

Early next morning Swami Bon started for Wi 'II,

where the Kulturbund arranged a lecture on "India,

her Culture and Religion" . The audiance the Swam i

had there was perhaps the best he had on his tour: l- 1 ' 1 ' 1

Hofrat Prof. Dr, Eugen Oberhummer presided over the lecture,

The success of the lecture was so great that the Swamiji could

hardly manage to accept the numerous invitations he received

for further discussions. Many people called at the Imperial

Hotel where he put up, including Sir Walford Selby, Eov y rExtraordinaire et Ministre Plenipotentiaire de SaMajeste Britan

nique, the Baron von Passavant and the Baron Omar Rolf VO l t

Ehrenfels. In the days from the 19th to the 25th of Nov rn

oer, while Swami Bon was staying at Vienna, he had opp 1 '1

unities to meet and talk to many important and deeply int 'I',

ested people. The Countess Grahn Elsa von Thurn Valsassinuinvited a select party to meet him, including the Baron VO I l

Passavant, Baron von Ehrenfels, Mrs. Jacoby of the Kulturbund

and others. Baron von Passavant arranged for a tea-party al

his place at Maria-Enzersdorff near Vienna. Herr Prof. I'.

Eugen Welesz, a famous composer and the whole family o r

the Baron were present. Herr Hofrat Prof. Dr. Karl B til

invited Swami Bon for a dinner-party at his house where a

select intelligentsia of· Vienna and leading social people w 1'('

present.

58

snCOND YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EUROPE

AT MUNICH:

II~ the 26th Swami Bon left Austria in the morning to arrive

III Iime at Miinchen, again in Germany, where Prof. Dr. Thier-

I (,Ider , secretary to the Indian Section of the Deutsche Akade-

II Ii " had arranged for a lecture. A young Getman scholar

who was a Professor of Tagore's Santiniketan welcomed Swami

lIo n. a t the station and

poke in Bengali - what

III' wamiji could hardly

['X pe t in a country so far

[rom India, Herr Prof.

Ik Karl Haushofer,

leader of the Indian Sec-

Iion of the Ger;m,n Ata

dtn1y, presided over the

lecture on "Bhakti" 01'

1 1 1 26th Nov. atB P : m.

' I ' h e lecture was a great

HI I cess. 'The hall was

overcrowded. On the

next two days the Swa-

miJi had several impor-

(lInt interviews: he met

Prof. Dr. theol. Auf-

hauser, a catholic scholar Swami B. H. Bon speaking at the

of Comparative History University of Munich.

of Religion, at his place, where several high officers were

present. They had long talks on the differences between

'bristianityand Hinduism and the misunderstandings which

easily arise if people fail to see the real spiritual fundamental

59



SECOND YEAR O F THE GAUDIY A MISSION IN EURUPI !

background" of Hinduism. Geheimrat Prof. Dr. Schernuuut

the Director of the V6lkerkunde-Museumin Miinchen, invluil

the Swamiji .to ~iscuss the various problems of the pl':tLit d

side of Hindu religious life.

AT TOBINGEN:

Herr Prof. Dr. Hauer, the leader of the German Faith MOV I

ment, Professor at the Tubingen University, was in touch wllhSwami Bon long before the Swamijicame on the Contineul

Prof. Hauer arranged for ,a lecture at the Tiibingen Univr«

sity, where the Swamiji spoke on the "WAY OF THE, 'ARYAl'j

INDIAN TO GOD" on November 30th, 1934. The SWII

miji had to shorten .his stay in Munich to be .in time at Tiihln

gen, where accomodation was arranged . at the best Holt'l

of the town, Hotel Larnm. The biggest lecture-hall of llll'

Universit_y was overcrowded. The public which had W I!

inforrnationson India till then through Professor Hauer (hot' !

ed. theSwamiji at the end of this highly interesting lecture,

Prof.. Hauer invited the Swamiji for lunch at his place [,I II

beautiful, house situated on the top of the hills-a pia l t'

very much fit to come into deeper contact with the I l P e '

of Nature. The Professor is a well known Sanskrit scholar,For over 8 .hours the Swamiji talked with him on the 291h

and 30th of November on the different aspects of tht'

Upanishads and the Vedas. Though it seemes that Prof,

Hauer has rather a negative view of the different religions 01

the world - an attitude 'which should be carefully restrict tI

- the Swamiji appreciated much his deep knowledge of tilt'

pantheistic side of the Hindu-religious Scriptures. Prof. Hauer

felt very much pleased to promote the mutual understand ing

60

H H OND YEAKORTHEGAUDlYA MISSION IN EUROPE

IlIlw '~!il. India and the West as, intended by the Swarniji's

1lllIvi~les in the West. Whenever there should be any dis-

'I}I ' 'ment as to special points of the theistic schools of India,

i r there should be such at all - the Swamiji will always

1I' IIIIIil' lthankful for the sympathies of the Professor which

WI'I" expressed by the dedication of all books the Professor

1lIIIlished last year.

AT BEURON:

Flom Tubingen the Swarniji left for Beuron, the biggest

( otholic Monastery of the Benedictine Order in Germany. The

1 \ 1 ' , Rev. Pater Daniel Feuling, O.S.B., who availed himself

"I' the opportunities to hear about the Gaudiya Mission when-

I'V 'I' he chanced to come to London, had kindly arranged for

II lecture before'the highly learned monks of the Monastery.

'I'lte Swamiji spoke there on December 3rd on the ;'HINDU-

'I'HIlIEOLOGY". His Grace the Archabbot of the Monastery,

I )~. Raphael Walzer, was in the chair. The Swamiji had ample

0l~~ortunities to admire the great interest that revealed itself

III the lively discussion after the lecture. The Archabbot, a

very mild and sympathetical representative of the Southern

(;crman Clerics, expressed his thankfulness to the Swamiji

V O l : having visited Beuron. The Swamiji will always

I'umember the kind hospitality he was given at tpat beautiful

Inonastery in the Donau-valley, where over 300 monks try to

11!~.derstandhe teachings of Christ.

ILeaving Beuron on the 3rd December 1934, for Berlin the

Swami stopped for several hours at Stuttgart, the chief town

of Wurttemberg and arrived in Berlin, from where he had

10 start again for lecture at Bonn and Marburg.

61



SECONP YEAR OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION IN EU1Wlil(

AT BONN:

Professor Dr. Kahle, . Director of the Oriental Institute o r 1 1 , 1

Bonn University, invited the Swamiji for' a lecture at II"

University on' December 13th. Prof. Kahle, a cousin of I It'll

Regierungsrat Hassenstein, one of the best friends of I"

Swami since he came to Berlin, had very nicely arrang dip,

the stay of Swami' Bon who took the chance to speak n 1 1 1 1

"Aryan view of life in the Indian philosophy and religion", PI',iI

Kahle's amiable nature and deep· scholastic knowledge higldl '

impressed the Swamiji. On the next day Swami Bon JI\('I

Herrn Prof. Dr. Karl Barth, the most famous Protcstanl

theologian. ·in Germany. They discussed the many poiJ1IM

both of agreement and difference between Christianity !lilt!

Hinduism and the importance of dial~ctics in the method (II

Sy~~n:atic Theology. Prof. Kahle arranged for lunch at, h iH

plac~. Baronin Helene Gans Edle zu Putlitz 's son arranged for a ll

afternoon-tea so that the Swamiji could talk to several impor

tant people who followed with great interest theiSwamiji's

lecture. The University has a very large and beautiful lectur '

hall, the most interesting the Swamiji saw, Prof. Kahle show-

ed the Swamiji the big collection of Egyptian and Greek MI

which the Swamiji very much appreciated.

AT MARBURG:

The last place where the Swamiji had to go before starting

his Berlin activities which have been mentioned already was

Marburjj. Whenever Swami Bon remembers Marburz beb

thinks of Herrn Prof. Dr. Rudolf Otto, one of the most i rnpo-

tant scholars for Comparative History of Religibnin Germany,

62

SECOND YEAR O F THE -GAUDIyA MISSION IN EUROPE

' 1 \ 1 e Swamiji stayed in Marburg on December 15th and 16th.

lie much enjoyed the company of Prof. Otto who took all

mre, to arrange everything in the best possible way. Prof.

( lel ia, whose humility is in contrast to his erudite knowledge

()f the Hindu Scriptures and the history of Religious India,

discussed many hours with the Swamiji the different aspects

o r r Hinduism and the "hermeneutic" principles as to how to

lInderstand ,them correctly, A colleague of Prof. Otto had thekindness to invite several scholars at dinner , at his place to give

the Swamiji opportunities to talk to some other important

veople of Marburg. The Swamiji returned to Berlin on

16th December,

From December 17th, 1934 to May 30th, 1935 theSwamiji

suood for the Mission's sublime Message in Berlin. To con-

tioue the London activities he had to go to England. He was

staying there - details have been given above - till August

12th, 1935 when he started again for Germany.

63




. Herr Baron Hans-Eberhard von Koerh,

who has recently left for India to join

the Miss ion a t Cal cu tta .

INDIA:

After a few day's stay ill

Berlin he had again to

start - this time for [t

long distance: to go lO

India for one month, a '.

companied byHerrn Bar IIH. E.von Koeth and Hem I

Ernst-Georg Schulze, who

much liked to go to India

to join the Mission ther ,

On August 21st tb y

started from Berlin fOI'

Genoa to catch the M.

';Victoria" on the Lloyd

Triestino Line leaving

Genoa onAugust 25th ami

arriving at Bombay Sep-

tember 5th, 1935 . . Aft J'

. two years and four

months' stay as preacher-in-charge of the Gaudiya Mission inthe W e st, Sw~mi B. H. Bon returned to India by the same

boat which in April 1933 brought him to the West, and which

will bring him back again to the West in October 1935 when

Swami B. H. Bon will deliver a lecture in London on "Hindu-

Philosophy" at the invitation of the Right Honourable Sir

Philip Sassoon, Under Secretary for Air at 'his London resi-

dence, 45, Park Lane, S.W. 1, and the Secretary of State for

India will preside. The Swami will have just one month's time

64


to stay in Calcutta - the head-quarters of the Mission _

where he will personally tell his Master - the head of the

Mission - about his experiences and impressions of Europe

and receive further instructions for his future activities It"

the West.

Herr Ernst -Georg Schulze ,

who has left for India to join' the Mission

at Calcutta.

65



OBITUARY:

The Gaudiya Mission expresses its deep sorrow

at the death of Sir John Thompson, K.C.S.I"

K.C:I,E" Ex-commissioner of Delhi, who took a'

great deal of interest in the Mission's activities in

[ndi~ while he was in Delhi, He always felt

happy to talk with Swami Bon in london both

at his own residence and, at various functions

where they often' met. Swami B. H. Bon on

behalf of the Gaudiya Mission Society begs to

convey sincere consolation to hisbeteaved

family.

The late Honourable Justice B. 1. Bristowe was

an admirer of the Gaudiya Mission in london

and always attended with his wife the lectures

and religious vcerernonies of the Gaudiya Mis-

sion. The Mission has lost a great friend in him.

The Mission profoundly· feels for the death of

the Hon. lady Marshall Brooks, the elder sisterof the present Viceroy of India,the' Earl of

Willingdon. lady Brooks was very kind to Swami

Bon and invited him twice to lunch at her Resi-

dence at Tarporleyand listened with eager interest

about the Hindu life in' India. On behalf of the

Mission, the Swami begs to convey the most sincere

condolence to the Hon. Marshall Brooks and lord

\Villingdon.

In .December 1933 when Swami Bon was invited

to deliver lectures at the University of Konigs-

Count Klinckowstroem

berg he was given a very kind reception at the

Castle of Graf (Count) Klinckowstroem at

Wandlacken in East-Prussia. Within the shortest



ORGANS OF THE MISSION:

I nlll"ik Nadia·prakash (Bengali Daily) •.•.••...••• Foreign

II 1"",,li,'/I (Bengal i Weekly) . .. .. •. .• •. •• .. .. .. .•

III 1I111'1II0/l isi (Engl ish Fortn ight ly) . .• .. •• .. •• •. •. •. •

I flllllww/lttl (Hindi Fortn ight ly) . .. •. .• •. .. •• .• •. •

I',I/'/mulr/hi (Oriva Fonnightly) ", -, .: .

1""",,,, (Assamese Monthly) ......•........... :.. "

. PUBLICATIONS OF THE GAUDIYA MISSION:

lIiI!lI,~ I" EI;glish.

I lit I K ri sb n a, -C h a ir an y a. . . .. .. .. •• •. .. .. .. •. .. .• .• •• ..

Ille und Precepts of Sri Cha itanya . .• •. .. •. .. •. .• •. •• ••

PI1l'~on.ali(y of Sri Chaieanya .' .

t'he Bhagavata : its philosophy, ethics and theology ........•I"ht.: erotic P ri nci pl e a nd ·Unal lo yed Devotion ' .

I, 1 1 ' 1 Urahmasamhita (Fifth Chapter) : .•......

I tlll R a rn a n an d a .

II Wdf lnt a: i ts mo rpho logy and on to logy . •. ..• .• ... .. ... .•

I A r cw words on Vedanta . •• .. .. .• .. .• .. .. •. •. .. .. .•

lu vnishnnvism : Real and Apparent ' .. ~ .. ~ .• ; . , . ,".......••

" Nllmbhajana ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .•.. .. .. .•

I My First Year in England .. ".: .. ~ ...•....•...•..•••.

II, tI 'oncl Year of the Gaudiya Mission InEurope .•.•••.••.••II Ill,jlllive Worlds .

1IIII 'g :lv: lt Gita ( in Press) . •. .. .. .. .• .. .. .. .• •. •. •• ..

Iltllll,~In German.

I (;t,lIflnken tiber den Hinduismus .•. : .• ": ..•.. ; ...•.....•

I tid Krishn a-Chai ra nya : Seine Per sdn li chkei t u . Bewegung .. o ' • • •

1 1 11 1 11 ~ I" Bengali.

1 ltililanya.Chatitamrit. . ................•..•...•....• Rs.

I Lhuitanya Bhagavar ... .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .• .. .. . .

t , llII it:lJ 1ya M anga l : .. o' ••••••••••••••••

Lhuiraova Sikshamrita ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .•.. .. .. .(.llnilanyer Prem : .

HI'I Krishna-Cbairanva ~. ~ "....•. ~ o •• •• • • " • • •

Muhnprabbur Siksha ··············.•···H,'IlNv:ui-]ayasri ;.0 ••• 0 •••• ; ; •••••••••••••••••••••

[n lvn Dharma ..............•.........•..........•

III I'lllin Vibarra ... .•.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..•. ..•... .. .. .

II f'lludiya Sahirva ..........•........ ·•··•············1j ~1\ltdiYll Gaurab . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. •. .. .. .. .. .. .. .•

II I)v"dnsha Aloar ... .. .. .. .. .•.. .•.•.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..•

I I [I' fl limana 0 Vaishnab .......•.....................•

l' Mlil)j.parichaya ... .. . .. .. . .. .. .•.•. .. .. . ..•. .. .. . ..•

III p\II'us:utha Binirnaya 0 • •• •• • •• •• •• •• • •• •• •• •• • •• •• •• ••

I I \hn lc tiv ivek Kusnmavali ......................•...•...

I II l fm- i.bhakt iKalpala tika ... .• .• .. .. .. .•. .•.•. .• .. .. .. .

II! ~ 'I I1hubanesvara .

II 1II I Ikh ava n i ............• ..............• .•

I Hll l\huna tha Das Gosvami . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .• •. ..

, ll dh :l ka K an th nm a ln . .. ... .. .. ... .. .. •. ... .• .. .. ..

VIlI~hnava Manjusha .

1111I'in:lIl1 Chanramani .. .• .. .• .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. .

15s.

7s. 6d .

7s. 6d.

7s. 6d .

'Is. 6d.7s. 6d.

time Graf Klinckowstroern became one of the

best friends and sympathisers of the Gaudiya

Mission in Europe. His charming nature and

amiable behaviour much impressed the Swamiji

who remained in regular correspondence with

the. Count till to his untimely death. Countess

K1inckowstroem an enthusiast ic Sanskrit scholar

takes a great deal of interest in the Sanskrit

Scriptures of the Hindus. The Swami begs to

assure her ladyship and the children of his lasting

friendship.

£1

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5 0It is with' a feeling of great sorrows that the;

Mission begs to mention here the irreparable loss

of Be~gal in the death of Sir D. P. Sarvadhikary

of Calcutta. It was Sir Sarvadhikary. who in.

troduced Swami Bon to many of his best friends

in England when the Swami first came to the;

West in 1933. We beg to convey ourbest wishes

to his bereaved family and wish his departed soul

all Blessings from the Supreme Lord.

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PRINTED BY M. NAY, BERLIN W 30!.28, EISENACHER STR., GEHMA j



25. Girarnala

26. Giravali···············1················ .

./

27. Kalyana Kalpataru .

28. Sharanagati .29. Gaudmandala Parikrama .

30. Nabadvipa Bhabtaranga .

31. Nabadvipa Parikrama 0 Bhaktiratnakara .

32. Nabadvipa Dham-m ahatmya .

33. Nabadvipa-shataja .

34. N abadvipa-dhama Granth ama la .........•..............

35. Nabadvipa Pramana-khanda ..........................•

erc., etc., etc.

Sanskrit Works.

1. Sri Sikshasrakarn Rs.

2. Satik Sikshadasakamulam ' .

3. Sarangsa Varnanam .

4. Sri Gaudiya Marhasya Parichaya .

5. Sri Siddhanta-Sarasvati-Digvijaya .

6. Sri Tatva-Sutram .

7. Bhaktirasamrita Sindhu ..........•.........•.........

8. Sri Harinamamrita Vyakaranam ,0 •••••••••••

9. Padma Purana .

10. Gour-Krishnodaya .

11. Isopanishada ..................•...............•..

Sanskrit Works with Translations and Commentaries:

1. Srimad Bhagavatam (up to 10 Cantoes) Rs.28

2. Srimad Gita (Valadeva Vidyabhusana) .................• 23. Srirnad Gita (Chakravorty ) 2

4. Bhajana Rahasya ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . 0

5. Bhakti-sandarbha .. . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

6. Gaudiya-kanrhahara 2

7. Sri Chaitanya-chandramrita .................•......... 1

8. Sadhanapatha, Sikshastaka 0

9. Sadachara-srnriri ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

10. Yukti-mallika .................• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

11. Mani-rnanjari . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . • 0

12. Vedanta-ratvasara 'I •••••••••••••••••••• , • • 0

13. Siddhanra-darpana 0

14. Tatva-rnuktavali 0

,

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tridandi swami bh bon - second year of the gaudiya mission in europe

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