We are delighted to announce the completion of a monumental literary and devotional achievement in Gaudiya Vaishnava history: Danavir Goswami has successfully finished the printing of the Sri Garga-samhita in thirty volumes, the culmination of a 20-year endeavor. Each volume features the original Sanskrit text, Roman transliteration, English synonyms, translation, elaborate commentary, and thirty-two pages of colored plates per hardbound volume. The complete sets will be available at the Sadhu Sanga event in Orlando, Florida, May 23rd–26th, and at a few programs throughout the state.

Danavir Goswami (Dane Holtzman) became an initiated disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in 1971. He accepted the renounced order of life (sannyasa) in 1997 and is the author of Fortunate Souls—The Bhakta Program Manual, Brain Gain—The Wisdom of Celibacy and Chastity, and numerous others, including this most ambitious work to date, a commentary on the 30-volume Vedic scripture—Sri Garga -samhita. He also established the Rupanuga Vedic College in Kansas City, where he presently serves as an initiating spiritual master.

What was the translation process for the thirty volumes? Were there any challenges along the way?

Danavir Goswami:  In addition to the excellent translation work rendered by our translation team, we consulted seven other scholarly translations of the Garga-samhita. Analyzing all eight editions (including our own), one finds an incredible degree of agreement in Sanskrit consistency. Only very minor differences appear, and in each case, the meanings remain the same.

His Grace Kusakratha Dasa, the Sanskrit translator for Sri Garga-samhita Cantos One through Six and several chapters of the Eighth Canto, departed from this world in 2005. However, it wasn’t until six years later that I completed writing commentary for his translations. At the Gaura-purnima festival in Mayapur in 2011, I asked Vidvan Gauranga Das if he would consider being the translator for the remaining four Cantos of Sri Garga-samhita. He declined because, at the time, he was busy with his teaching services. However, he recommended the husband-and-wife team of Kisora Dasa and Ananta-sarovara Devi Dasi. I met with them and made my proposal; however, before taking up the service, they first consulted their gurus.

After receiving approval from their gurus, they wrote to their Sanskrit teacher, Gopiparanadhana Dasa, and asked him if he thought they would be able to do it. He responded positively and wrote that translating the Sri Garga-samhita would be good practice for them, so they accepted the service.

Kisora Dasa and Ananta-sarovara Devi Dasi have always considered Gopiparanadhana Dasa’s Sri Brhad-bhagavatamrta as the last word in how translation should be done. They have consciously chosen not to be employed in any academic institution or outside publishing house so that they are free to perpetuate Srila Prabhupada’s own style of translation, his chosen vocabulary, his format of book presentation, etc. Therefore, they felt very comfortable and “at home” working on the Sri Garga-samhita project. I believe they have done an outstanding job completing the translation for the remaining Cantos, from Seven through Ten, which comprised approximately sixty percent of the Sanskrit texts of the whole work.

In addition, I wish to express my deep appreciation and acknowledgment for the service of others who helped make this great work available.

Authenticity and Significance of Sri Garga Samhita

The significance and authenticity of the Garga-samhita can be found throughout the Gaudiya Vaishnava corpus. It is referenced by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura many times in his Sri Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya. For example:

māyā māyāpurī sakṣāt

sarvānanda-vivardhinī

śrī-garga-saṁhitāyāṁ sa

kīrtitā pāpa-nāśinī

Mayapura is the Lord’s yogamaya potency. It is filled with ever-increasing bliss. In the Garga-samhita, it is described as “the destroyer of sins.” (Sri Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya, Chapter 3, Text 19)

Also in the Sammohana-tantra, Chapter One, Saunaka Rsi says to Suta Goswami:

O sage, now kindly tell me in detail about the Garga-samhita, which is filled with narrations of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. In this samhita, there is wonderful glorification of Sri Radhā and Mādhava. (3–4)

Suta Gosvāmi then said, “O Saunaka, the glory of the Garga-samhita was revealed to me by Narada. Thereafter, Lord Siva narrated it to Parvati along with the Sammohana-tantra.” (5)

Some Appreciations of this Garga-samhita series:

“I have personally read all 17 volumes of the Garga-samhita and gained so many valuable insights from your purports. I often quote what you have written in my lectures. I am eagerly awaiting to receive the final 13 volumes.” – Indradyumna Swami, ACBSP

“My husband, Vamanadeva Dasa, and I displayed the 30-volume Garga-samhita set in a prominent place on top of our bookcase in our living room so everyone who visits us can see them as soon as they enter our home. This transcendental literature is so beautiful that it invites everyone to examine and to read it. I am reading Canto 1, Volume 1, and have a difficult time putting it down!!” – Sangita Devi Dasi, ACBSP, and Vamanadeva Dasa, ACBSP

“These volumes of Garga-samhita unpack so many details enhancing what we learn from the Krishna Book y Bhagavatam.” – Nirantara Dasa, ACBSP

Ordering Details

In addition to being available at the upcoming Sadhu Sanga, May 23rd–26th, and at a few programs throughout Florida, the set can be purchased online at our sitio web. For questions regarding ordering or Danavir Goswami’s schedule in Florida, please contact Rsi Kumara Dasa at 757-375-8957.