Question: What caused Srila Bhakti Siddhanta to take such an intense and serious vow to complete chanting one billion names of Hare Krsna maha mantra? Did someone order him to do so? Or What kind of situations/heart churning lead him to take such intense vow? Or was it his expression of deep devotional service?
Answer by Romapada Swami:
In Puré, Çréla Bhakti Siddhänta Sarasvaté experienced severe oppression and censure due to his preaching against the rhyming kértana and sakhibheki doctrine of the popular Rädhäramaëacaraëa Däsa Bäbäjé. Finally Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura instructed him to go and perform bhajana near the Yogapéöha, the birthsite of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.
Çréla Bhakti Siddhänta Sarasvaté was known as Simha Guru. Being an eternally liberated soul, he chanted one billion names of Krsna on his japa beads before starting his preaching mission.
