The Joy of Cleaning His Room

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Srila Gurudev would travel to various places from Kolkata for preaching. During that time my service was to clean Srila Gurudev’s room once he left Kolkata Math and also when he would come back to Kolkata after completing his preaching tour. Additionally, when Srila Gurudev stayed in Kolkata, I would come to the math during weekends in the morning, and sometimes I would get the opportunity of cleaning Srila Gurudev’s room. 

 So One day I got the opportunity for that service. The sevak who asked me said, “You must do everything very quickly because Gurumaharaj can come out any time." In my mind, I was tremendously happy that while cleaning I will get the chance of touching his used things.

I happily entered the room and started looking for the things which were on the bed of Srila Gurudev- his clothes, his towels, his blanket, his slippers on the floor, his pen and books on the desk, etc. For that moment it was like a treasure trove for me. I just started touching his used things, putting it on my head and apart from that, a transcendental aroma was coming from the clothes of Srila Gurudev. Srila Gurudev would sometimes put mustard oil on his body, I could smell that.

I was feeling so happy and of course, it was not the first time that I have done it. So, whenever I would get the chance of cleaning his room that was the first thing I would do, it doesn’t matter how many times you touch and feel those used things by Srila Gurudev, but still, your heart hankers for more.

The sevak came and said “please do it fast. You haven’t started cleaning the room yet”. I pleaded to him, “One second Prabhu, I am doing it," and sadly I had to leave those things and had to start cleaning his room. Once the room was cleaned I was taking all the doormats to clean outside, then suddenly Gurumaharaj came out and I was in complete shock. Holding the doormats, I was standing there not knowing where to go, what to do. 

 Gurumaharaj was in his towel and in a very sweet way he was looking at me trying to figure out what is happening or what I am trying to do with these doormats? I was standing still and was captivated by the beauty of Srila Gurudev. When the Sevak saw that I am not moving out from the room he immediately came inside the room and dragged me out. That was the first time I had such beautiful darshan of Srila Gurudev, he was shining like a golden ball.

Later, I was fearing when he will come out for Tulasi Parikrama he would ask me what I was doing there. But nothing such as this happened. He came out gave water to Tulasi Devi and after performing parikrama when devotees were paying obeisances to him. I also paid my respectful obeisances and after I stood up he looked at me and gave a sweet smile. That smile was captured by my heart.

His love, affection, sweetness, and of course his beautiful smile which will drive away all miseries and pain was beyond imagination.

So, Cleaning his room has always been a blissful moment for me. 

Your unworthy servant,

Sundar Gopal Das (Kolkata)


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