Śrī Hāyagrīva brahmacāri was even offered sannyāsa by Śrīla Prabhupāda, however he humbly begged to continue as a brahmacāri for the fear of some services getting hampered. Hearing that he prioritized service above all else, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “You are already a sannyāsi in the truest sense. Simply an outer dress doesn’t constitute sannyāsa. Inclination to perform sevā is the only measure of seniority.”

 

Śrī Hāyagrīva brahmacāri also spearheaded Gauḍīya mission’s foray in South India, at Madras, and played a vital role in acquiring the land at Rajahmundary for Śrī Ramānanda maṭha, where other godbrothers had given up after trying their best. Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Gosvāmī Mahārāja, his senior godbrother once noted, “The apparent end point of our attempts to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda is for him a beginning of fresh endeavors.”

 

Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted him to be a part of the first preaching party to the West, however when one well-wisher noted, “Śrī Hāyagrīva brahmacāri is very young and handsome, and England is a place of beautiful women and lose morals. It is better to send an elderly devotee.” Śrī Bhakti Pradīpa Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja was sent in his place. 

 

He followed Śrīla Prabhupāda’s vāṇi with utmost sincerity and integrity. Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words and ideals were like lines etched on stone for him, and he never deviated, as much as a hairline, from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s vicāra dhārā. 

 

To reciprocate with the enthusiasm exhibited by the locals of Assam during the temple inauguration at Sarbhoga in 1936, Śrīla Prabhupāda promised to visit Assam every year. But soon thereafter Śrīla Prabhupāda departed from this world. So to honour his spiritual master’s promise, Śrī Hāyagrīva brahmacāri visited Sarbhoga yearly to celebrate Śrīla Prabhupāda’s appearance day. He asserted, “Whatever Śrīla Prabhupāda has spoken can never be false. He will appear here every year in his Deity form.” In this way he exemplified the consciousness of a fully surrendered disciple, fulfilling the words and innermost desires of Śrī Guru.

 

After the disappearance of Śrīla Prabhupāda, and on the repeated insistence of many of his senior godbrothers, Śrī Hāyagrīva brahmacāri accepted sannyāsa from Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Gaurava Vaikhānasa Gosvāmī Mahārāja in 1944 and came to be known as Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja. 

 

He had great affection for his godbrothers. If ever, any of them experienced any adversity, he would immediately come forward to extend his support, without any concern for his own comfort or distress. At times when his godbrothers were in monetary need, he would even borrow to be able to serve them by fulfilling their requirements. He deeply touched many lives by his divine benevolence which was free from the concept of ‘I and Mine’, and truly embodied the phrase, ‘vāsudaiva kuṭumbakam – the whole world is one family.’

 

He epitomized the spirit of Vaiṣṇava sevā. He would go as far as saying, “Our service has only two objects: Viṣṇu and Vaiṣṇavas. Of the two, service to Vaiṣṇavas is more important. I will choose to serve Vaiṣṇavas even if I were to borrow. And in case I were to leave this world before paying back my debts which I incurred in service of Vaiṣṇavas, I will happily take birth again to repay them and avidly take on more debts to remain in their eternal service. My constant prayer is that I may eternally maintain this consciousness without deviation.” 

 

He was also an expert mediator. Thus, whenever any differences arose amongst his godbrothers in the course of their services, they would call upon Śrīla Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja to amicably settle the matter.

 

Amongst his most notable achievements was the acquisition of the birth site of Śrīla Prabhupāda in Śrī Jagannātha Purī. Śrīla Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja was unanimously entrusted and encouraged by his godbrothers to undertake this most herculean task which involved many legal, financial and administrative snags. Enduring many physical and mental adversities, it took almost twelve painstaking years of intense and persistent efforts to accomplish this task. 

 

Subsequently, in the role of an exemplary ācārya, he preached widely, accepted hundreds of disciples and established as many as eighteen branches across India under the flagship of his spiritual mission – Śrī Caitanya Gauḍīya Maṭha. He organized parikramās of Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa dhāma, established many preaching centres, restored many holy sites, and published many books and magazines to spread the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. 

 

On February 27, 1979, at 9 am, Śrīla Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja entered the eternal pastimes of Śrī Rādhā-Nayanānātha in the midst of resounding kīrtana. 

 

His Final Instruction was – 

 

“Never leave devotional service of Lord Hari, whatever the circumstance may be. This is my prayer, entreaty, desire, and instruction. Practice devotional service in all circumstances. Always give respect to senior Vaiṣṇavas; never hesitate to do so. This will bring auspiciousness.”

 

Śrīla Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja is regarded as one of the most intimate associates of Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura. He was a living personification of a sad-śiṣya and was deeply admired for his volcanic service spirit towards Hari, Guru and Vaiṣṇavas. 

 

His divine life and ideals eternally remain a great source of inspiration and unending auspiciousness for all those who take shelter at his lotus feet.