Giving Instructions Through His Supreme Example

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Guru Maharaj flew from Delhi to London. I joined them in London airport and waited along with them to catch a flight to New York. I was seated next to Guru Maharaj on the plane and I noticed with interest that he was reading the book "Perfect Questions Perfect Answers" by Srila Swami Maharaj, a very well-known book for beginners in Krishna consciousness. I saw Guru Maharaj reading that book with a lot of concentration.

I wondered why he was reading that book because he knows everything. Even though I didn’t ask him, I found the answer myself: because he has perfect attitude of following Guruvarga, he wanted to follow the scripture of Srila Swami Maharaj as he was an authorized disciple and had been given the order by Srila Prabhupada to go and preach outside.

Guru Maharaj was very cautious to never go beyond what Swami Maharaj had given. His attitude was never like he knows more or can give more in the West than what Swami Maharaj had. So he was reading the book to see what he should give them and what he should not so that he is perfectly following Guruvarga.

By the time the plane landed in New York, including all layovers, etc. it was in total 24 hours without proper sleep, food, or rest. Upon our arrival in New York, we had to wait for the luggage and the devotees to arrive in their cars to pick us to their house. So that was another 2 hours.

The day of arrival was the day of Guru Puja, and Guru Maharaj said, “I have to speak on this occasion,” so after 24 hours without sleep, Guru Maharaj gave a wonderful lecture on Gurupuja explaining the importance of Guru, the mission of Guru, and how he is non-different from Supreme Lord.

After giving one hour lecture in perfect English, Guru Maharaj started singing kirtan and it was an amazing kirtan just like a young brahmachari with full power and strength, making everyone ecstatic. Such is the devotion of Guru Maharaj for his own Gurudev, Supreme Lord and Mahamantra. I am so happy I could witness that.


It was summer in New York and it was extremely hot. One Indian sannyasi, a staunch mayavadi yoga teacher, organized for Guru Maharaj to speak in his own studio. Except Guru Maharaj, that gentleman, and all of his sevaks, nobody came there. Guru Maharaj gave lectures there for few days and then one day he addressed that mayavadi directly and told him that the concept of Radha Krishna is not like brahman.

The person was so much charmed by Guru Maharaj, and after listening Gaudiya Siddhanta the last few days that he automatically agreed. He responded, “Yes. Yes. Supreme Lord is RadhaKrishna.”

Such is the power of Guru Maharaj that he made no efforts to convince him but only by his bhakti he made him understand.

—Bindu Madhav Das, France

 (Bindu Madhav prabhu left this world about a month after we posted this. )

Srila Gurudeva  with Bindu Madhav Prabhu (far right)

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