| Mahanambrata Brahmachari | |
| Birth Name: | Bankim Dasgupta [1] |
| Parents: | Kalidas Dasgupta (father) Kaminisundari Devi (mother) |
| Birth Date: | 25 December 1904 |
| Birth Place: | Barisal District, Bengal Presidency, British India |
| Death Place: | Kolkata, West Bengal, India |
| Nationality: | British India |
| Known For: | Spiritual guru |
Mahanambrata Brahmachari (25 December 1904 – 18 October 1999; pre-ashramite name Bankim Dasgupta[2]) was a Hindu Monk and the President who headed the Mahanam Sampradaya in present-day India and Bangladesh. A yogi and monk of the Mahauddharana order, a school of Bengal, he was a philosopher, writer and religious master.
He was born in a Baidya family of Barishal District, Bengal Presidency, British India and was named Bankim Dasgupta.[3] He began his schooling in a nearby Pathshala primary school in 1909. At that time he acquired his deep love for humanity from his mother and his father lost his eyesight. Mahanambrata Brahmachari therefore dedicated himself to his blind father's service, reading him aloud Hindu scriptures. On hearing of Prabhu Jagadbandhu also known as Krishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who came out of his cottage at Sri Angan, Faridpur, British India the town after isolation for about 17 years from 1902 to 1919 from the outside world. He was inspired to travel 80 miles on foot to pay homage to Prabhu Jagadbandhu. Sripad Mahendraji, the chief acharya of Prabhu Jagadbandhu, brought Mahanambrata Brahmachari close to Prabhu Jagadbandhu who he considered his guru.
His father died in 1922. After the funeral he went to Sri Angan, Faridpur, British India to take sanyasa at Mahanam Sampradaya, the association dedicated for the propagation of teachings of Prabhu Jagadbandhu. But Sripad Mahendraji, the then spiritual master of Mahanam Sampradaya, asked him because of his youth to return home, pass the matriculation examination first and thereafter think of sanyasa. His eagerness for ascetic life prompted him to take the first available opportunity to sit for the matriculation examination. As he was out of touch with English education he had to study anew. In 1923 he appeared at the matriculation examination and obtained District Scholarship. Then he left home for good, came to Sri Angan, Faridpur, British India and was initiated into sanyasa by Sripad Mahendraji with the name of Mahanambrata Brahmachari. Sripad Mahendraji, asked him to take admission in Government Rajendra College, Faridpur for further studies. After performing various duties of the Ashram and attending college classes, he had hardly any time for other studies. On many an occasion he had to carry on without mid-day meals because of the poor financial condition of the Ashram, and his absence during mealtimes to attend College classes. Despite these difficulties he passed B.A. Exam in 1928 with Honours in Sanskrit. He obtained M.A. in Sanskrit from Calcutta University in 1931, obtaining first class first position while sick.[4]
Sripad Mahendraji the President of Mahanam Sampradaya received an invitation from the President of World Fellowship of Faiths, from Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. to send a delegate to its conferences. He sent Mahanambrata Brahmachari to represent the Mahanam Sampradaya in the U.S.A. Mahanambrata Brahmachari obtained a PhD in Vaishnava Theology from the University of Chicago. While there he had many discussions with religious thinker Thomas Merton. Thomas Merton was surprised when Mahanambrata Brahmachari directed Thomas Merton to explore his own Christianity tradition and spiritual roots rather than learn more about Hinduism.[5] Thomas Merton acknowledged the role of Mahanambrata Brahmachari in making him discover Christianity.[6]
After the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, he remained in the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), in order to safeguard and protect the religion and culture of minority Hindus of his motherland. After the atrocities Hindus faced at the hand of the Pakistani Army, he set up Devasthali Samskar Samity to raise funds for reconstruction of temples and reinstallation of deities. He was present during reinstallation at many places like Dhaka, Narayangonj, Brahmanbaria, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Faridpur and Chattagram. In 1975 he founded Bangladesh Sanatan Dharma Mahamondal to look after the religious and cultural interests and heritages of Hindus, being its founder President.[7]
He was a very renowned spiritual teacher of Bengal. His disciples worship his idol even to this date as shown in the image.