His Mercy Defeats the Rules of Destiny

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I wish to share some realizations of Gurudev and His mercy on me. I came to the math in the year 1979 when I was 23 years old. I came to become a sadhu and perform bhajan. After some 3-4 years I happened to meet Srila Prabhupad's disciple Sadhu Maharaj who was a good astrologer. I showed him my palm wishing to know whether I will be able to continue to do bhajan or not. Seeing the lines on my hand, he told me that there is a clear indication that you will not stay in the math for long, you will for sure enter family life. Though material desires had never entered me, hearing his words, I felt some fear. I asked him how I can save myself and if there any remedy. He said no, by around 30 years you will enter family life. 

Later I showed my hand to another two astrologers who also predicted the same. After some time, Gurudeva sent me to Chakdah Math for Jagannath Dev's seva. As I was nearing 30 years of age, I felt disturbed in mind remembering the forecast of the astrologers. I started serving Jagannath Dev with great attention and also did my daily chanting of Harinam and Nrsimha prayers with concentration, yet did not feel any relief. My mind stopped working and my doubts increased day by day. 

During that time, Gurudev was in Assam attending the annual function at Tejpur math. Somehow it occurred to me, maybe because of Nrsimha prayers, that I should write to Gurudev about my plight. I instantly wrote him a letter and sent it by registered post. A letter then usually took a week to reach, but Gurudev received it within 3 days. It is Gurudev's practice to reply to the letters serially, first come, first serve, but the same day Gurudev received my letter, he replied instantly and got it posted. Gurudev's reply reached me within a week. 

In that letter, he wrote, "You have opened your heart to me and so,I am pleased with you. You are without deceit and simple. Simplicity itself is vaishnavata. Undeceiful Krishna bhakta has no fear." With these words, he bestowed me with his protection and made me fearless. As I read Gurudev's letter I felt some strength in my body; my mind calmed, and I started my bhajan enthusiastically. 

Like this, 3-4 years passed without any difficulty. Later when Sadhu Maharaj came again, I showed my hand to him. I was then 33 years. He asked, me, "Are you still in the math? I said yes. He read my palm again and was surprised. He said this is impossible. I find your family line is fully gone, and also find the position of Guru is very strong. It is only by the mercy of Gurudev that your family life is destroyed. Then he said, "A Krishna-bhakta can be so strong that he can change the destiny of his disciple."

From this experience, I realized that our Gurudeva is a very strong Krishna bhakta who can break the rule of destiny. He rescued me from the expanse of the unending material life. Krishna says in the Gita (7.14): mama maya duratyaya: my maya is as strong as I am. A guru can defeat such strong maya and save his disciple. One of Guru's qualities is analaso, never lazy, never delay, and is ever ready to rescue conditioned souls. By showering his affection and mercy on me Gurudev made me realize that he is so strong and can destroy the unconquerable material life in a moment.

Another of my experiences is that like Lord, Gurudeva is also antaryami, an indweller of the heart. Many times I went to Gurudev with some questions in my mind and found that even before I would ask the question he would give me the answer. Not only me, but many of my godbrothers have also experienced this. Gurudev also gave me some times direct instructions. Once when I went and offered pranams to Gurudev, instantaneously he spoke Sri Upadeshamrta verse 3: utsahat nishcayat dhairyat. Maybe seeing some lack of spirit in me that time, he was teaching me that without enthusiasm, firm faith, and patience in one's practice, one cannot achieve the desired goal of Krishna-prema. I try to follow this as best as I can.

Another time he told, the positions like Math-president, Math-manager, and Math-in-charge have no relation with Krishna bhajan; it is only needed to run the Math; we are always Krishna das and have no other engagement. These are some of the loving exchanges I had with Gurudev.

—Srila Bhakti Kushal Padmanabha Maharaj

From Vyasa-puja offerings via zoom, Apr 24, 2021

spoken in Hindi, translated to English 










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