His Holiness Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja was born in 1924 in Assam, India, on Rāma-navami, the most auspicious appearance day of Bhagavān Lord Rāmacandra. Having been brought up in a pious environment, he developed a strong inclination to search for truth, which led him to take up the study of philosophy at Calcutta University.

After completing his MA in philosophy in 1947, he came in contact with his spiritual master, Śrīla Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, and immediately became attracted by his divinely powerful personality. Śrīla Mādhava Mahārāja was one of the foremost followers of the illustrious preceptor of the pure devotional bhakti school, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. From that time onward, Śrīla Tīrtha Mahārāja completely dedicated his life to the service of his guru. Soon he became Secretary of the devotional institution Śrī Caitanya Gauḍīya Maṭh, which has over twenty āśramas in India alone. He took sannyāsa, the vow of renunciation, in 1961.

After the disappearance of Śrīla Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja in 1979, Śrīla Tīrtha Mahārāja was appointed his successor as ācārya of the Maṭh. During his lifetime, he received the blessings and association of many of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta’s prominent followers, such as Śrīla Bhakti Promode Purī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhakti Hṛdaya Bon Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Akiñcana Kṛṣṇa dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja and many others.

For the last five decades, Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja has been engaged in preaching the philosophy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to counter the modern trend toward violence and cruelty, and to bring about unity of hearts among all, irrespective of race, creed or religion. Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svāmī Mahārāja had requested Śrīla Tīrtha Mahārāja to accompany him to the USA just prior to his launching of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the West in 1965. As he was, at that time, engaged in the service of his Gurudeva as secretary of Śrī Caitanya Gauḍīya Maṭh, Śrīla Tīrtha Mahārāja humbly declined. Since 1997, however, at the request of Śrīla Bhakti Promode Purī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, he has been traveling the globe several months a year, enlivening all who come in contact with his humble, sweet personality, extraordinary kīrtana and message of divine love. To date, his preaching travels outside India have taken him around the world, including the UK, Holland, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Russia, the Ukraine, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Hawaii and throughout the continental US. Everyone is attracted by his eloquent, insightful and, most of all, purely devotional discourses.

His Holiness Śrīla Tīrtha Mahārāja, during his US tour in 1997, addressed the United Nations' "World Peace Prayer Society," and "World Conference on Religion and Peace" in New York City, offering them a succinct outline for world peace based upon the spiritual tenets of the ancient Vedas. His preaching programs over the past years have also included many interesting dialogues with prominent Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Hindu and Baha’i theologians, in such diverse settings as universities, interfaith groups, churches, Hindu temples and a wide variety of metaphysical and private educational centers. All are invariably won over by his gentle and affectionate nature, combined with his resolute faith in Guru-Vaiṣṇava-Bhagavān. He has also spoken on the sublime teachings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu on many radio and television programs, including a thought provoking interview on BBC radio in 2000, which was broadcast worldwide.

In addition to his role as ācārya of Śrī Caitanya Gauḍīya Maṭh, Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja serves as the beloved ācārya of GOKUL (Global Organization of Krishnachaitanya’s Universal Love), which he founded in 1997. He has also served as Vice-President of the World Vaiṣṇava Association (WVA). Working eighteen hours a day, he is incessantly engaged in the service of humanity as a teacher of Vedic wisdom and the philosophy of bhakti yoga. He is also presently engaged in writing articles and books of a profound nature in his native languages as well as in English. To date, his English publications include the books Śuddha Bhakti, Sages of Ancient India, A Taste of Transcendence and Chaitanya: His Life and Associates.