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Svāmī B. V. Mādhava (Dr. N. K. Brahmacārī, Ph.D.) was born into a family of Vaiṣṇavas in Midnapur, West Bengal, in 1956. He has been a full-time practising monk in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition since 1979 and accepted initiation in disciplic succession from Śrī Srīmad Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja, a Vaiṣṇava of the highest level with all the characteristics of a true guru described in the scriptures. For nearly thirty years, Svāmī B. V. Mādhava has served continuously as the sevaka, or personal servant, of his instructing guru, Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja. Like his initiating guru, his instructing guru is also a Vaiṣṇava of the topmost calibre and a true guru, as described in the sacred texts of the tradition. In March 2000, the author was given the sacred order of sannyāsa, the highest level of a renunciant.

In 1977, Svāmī B. V. Mādhava graduated in Sanskrit with honours from the University of Kolkata. Thus, the author is fluent in Bengali, Sanskrit and Hindi. This has allowed him to read and study the Vedas, Upaniṣads, Purāṇas, Itihāsas and later writings that comprise the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava canon in the original languages in which they were composed. Accordingly, Svāmī B. V. Mādhava is in a privileged position to undertake this study. He has dedicated the better part of his life to serving his guru directly as his sevaka. Thus, he has met all the requirements of a disciple, as set out in the Vaiṣṇava scriptures.