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A Vaishnava religious movement
founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534) led to the formation
of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. The philosophical basis of this sect was
primarily that of the Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavata Purana,
including Puranic scriptures and Upanishads. The focus of Gaudiya
Vaishnavism is the devotional worship of Lord Krishna and Radha and
their many divine incarnations as the supreme forms of God.
The Gaudiya Math was formed in 1918. The main purpose of this
organization was to spread Gaudiya Vaishnavism throughout India
through preaching and publishing work. The organization was set up under
the efforts of a preacher known as Bhaktivinoda Thakur.
Bhaktivinoda Thakur also held the position of a deputy magistrate with
the British government. His son became known as Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. He was an eminent scholar and
preacher and he was responsible for founding 64 Gaudiya Matha
monasteries in India and abroad. Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakur requested his disciples to form a governing body after
his death. This governing body was supposed to administer the mission
after his death and the vaishnava movement was coined as the Saraswata
Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. Beside spreading the teachings of Bhagavad
Gita and Bhagavata Purana, under this Math mission the
famous Yoga Pith, Srivas Angan, and other holy places in the Dham are
maintained. Today the Headquarter of this math is at Baghbazar, Kolkata
and there are various branches of the Gaudiya Math in various places of
India and abroad.
