Relating His Childhood Remembrances to Devotional Conclusions

In my boyhood, when I was a small child, I have seen a steamer (boat) there in Brahmaputra river. That boat was coming and going and making a whistling sound. But I have never seen a train.

My uncles and other elders were going and crossing the Brahmaputra to go to another place—it takes about 6 or 7 hours to go. From there, they caught the train and went for higher education. After returning they would say, the train is like this... When I heard them, I got the desire to go on a train. I said, "I shall also go, take me! I shall see!" And they showed me a toy train. By seeing that toy train, I was more insistent to go. Then came their rebuke. "Hey!" You're too small, no time...you have to go to school. After matriculation, then. And I was very dejected. No one giving importance to me. I am a small child and no one giving importance. So much I was dejected!

And in the night, I was sleeping by the side of the mother. And there were others. One big bedstead, and a mosquito guard. Still, I remember. And I was sleeping there. At midnight, that bedstead was moving. Then I thought, "I got into the train! I boarded the train. Our train is moving like this!" And I was now happy.

And others said, "Hey, come out from the room!" And I was not opening my eyes, because then I cannot see the train. Like this. And after some time, mother was uttering the name "Hari Hari, Hari Hari, Hari Hari!" And I thought, what is this, Hari Hari? It's very good, it's moving through. But after that, they forcibly dragged us, brought us outside the house.

And there was one almira with glass there that fell down. But nobody was there, so they were saved. At that time I saw all were calling Bhagavan, respected religious groups. "Haribol! Haribol!" And they're blowing conch shells. And I also heard, "Allah ho Akbar!" There were many Muslims. They are also calling.

Everyone was crying and I said to father, "Papa, what is this? This moving is very good!" And he said, "No, no! This is an earthquake, you do not know! By earthquake, all buildings will collapse and all the human beings will be killed!" He was very serious. "For that reason," [he continued], "They're afraid. You see the almira fell down. If there had been a person there, they would have been killed." In this way, my father told this is earthquake, by earthquake everything is destroyed. Then, "oho!" I thought—earthquake.

But I have seen that scenery. Always when there is pressure from providence, all are uttering name, all going underground. Not a single person was there. down under the earth. They do not believe Bhagavan, but at times of catastrophe, all called the name of Bhagavan. You see, I do not know what you do when an earthquake is there. They called "Oh god, save us." Western people also will utter the respected names of God. I have seen myself.

Now Gajendra got the belief," I can rescue me, I am formidable," but after 1000 years of trying, he lost his confidence. He thought, I have got no power, all power is lost. Other elephants cannot rescue me. At that time, he thought who will rescue me?

By his previous good deeds and impressions, he made this decision that I should take absolute shelter to the Supreme Lord who can rescue under all circumstances. Only those who got previous impression of good deeds will take this decision. All will not take this decision. But Gajendra took the decision to take shelter of Supreme Lord who can rescue me under all circumstances.

—Srila Gurudeva Sri Srimad Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj 

transcribed and slightly edited from English discourse on topic of Gajendra Moksh, year 2000 (starts about 12:28)
please email scgm.tirtha.guru@gmail.com if you have any corrections