He Offers a Seat of Honor to Everyone

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During Jhulan festival in Vrindavan, Guru Maharaj was speaking Harikatha in the evening. Suddenly an unknown saint quietly came and sat down to hear Guruji’s Harikatha. He looked like a sanyassi but he was not carrying a tridanda. Guruji did not recognize him. He inquired about the saint and arranged to get him a seat.

Guruji explained that out of fear of an offense, he had to arrange a seat for the saint. In this way, there was a break to his Harikatha. Guru Maharaj then spoke about a similar instance that occurred during the time of Param Gurudev and also advised us to be cautious by always giving respect to others. He told us that we need to give special attention to our devotional practices. If we do not give attention to respecting others, then our devotional practices will be destroyed.

Not only this, Guru Maharaj does not even consider his own disciples as disciples, but as friends. Therefore in his conversations, he addresses them very respectfully. Having great regard for disciples, sometimes he gives them honor like to a guru in his Harikatha.

—Krishnananda Das, Bhatinda
(translated from Sri Krishna Chaitanya Sandesh July-Oct, 1997 (Year 17, Issue No.4, Page 27-39)



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