Śrī Guru-Varga Blesses Him With Affectionate Glances

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Śrīla Guru Mahārāj offered a long-standing, open invitation for Śrīla Mādhav Gosvāmī Mahārāj to visit him in Navadwip-dhām. Whenever he came to his Mayapur maṭh, Śrīla Mādhav Gosvāmī Mahārāj would happily come to visit Śrīla Guru Mahārāj at his maṭh. I witnessed their morning and afternoon sessions when they would be absorbed in nectarian harikathā for hours; wonderful and beautiful exchanges of higher feelings related to their own great Śrīla Gurudev, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākur, Śrīla Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur, Mahāprabhu, and the Divine Couple, Śri Rādhākṛṣṇachandra. There was such a flow of nectar; such taste in their exchanges of hari-kathā. There was a personal touch to their behavior with each other that was heart captivating. 

As I recall in the flow of their conversations, sometimes the name of Śrīla Tirtha Mahārāj would spontaneously arise. Guru Mahārāj was really satisfied that dear Tirtha Mahārāj had been chosen as his successor and showed his support with a smile of satisfaction, agreeing that he is very qualified. Both ācārya god-brothers mutually showed their special loving recognition for their dear Tirtha Mahārāj. 

As his Guru Mahārāj also had, Śrīla Tirtha Mahārāj came to Navadwip Śri Chaitanya Sarasvatī maṭh to have darśan of Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, to hear his hari-kathā, accept his invaluable advice, and accept his blessings. Whenever he came, he was mostly accompanied by some devotees and brahmacharis of Sree Chaitanya Gauḍīya Maṭh. I remember he would become so delighted to have darśan of Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, Śrīdhardev Gosvāmīpad. He offered his sāṣṭāṅga-pranams at his lotus feet and accepted his blessings with profound reverence. He had so much appreciation when relishing the harikathā of Guru Mahārāj. I felt deeply grateful as I looked up at his joyful facial expression, seeing how much he was cherishing Guru Mahārāj's words. Guru Mahārāj reciprocated with his loving feelings. I could feel that tender affection he had for him. 

I remember the very last time I saw Śrīla Tirtha Mahārāj came to see my Guru Mahārāj. It was after the disappearance of Śrīla Mādhavadev Gosvāmī Mahārāj. He came in order to receive some special guidance and instructions from his very excellent guardian Śrīla Śrīdhardev Gosvāmī Mahārāj. I remember our Guru Mahārāj gave him some very special guidance and advice, drawing on his own experiences of various situations that arose after his Gurudeva’s disappearance. He spoke to him about the qualities of an ideal successor ācārya who is capable of sustaining his spiritual master's mission. 

Śrīla Tirtha Mahārāj sensed when his Gurudev was about to physically withdraw from his pastimes in this world and it was extremely difficult for him to manage the acute pain in that separation. We heard he then went to Vṛndāvana and engaged in Girirāj Govardhan parikramā, humbly and earnestly praying to Giridhāri Gopal so that his Gurudeva didn't leave this world so early. However, at some point, he realized that it was actually a close loving call from Their Lordships Śri Śri Rādhānayanātha-jiu and Mahāprabhu for his Gurudev to enter their nitya-līlā. Somehow or another, he tried to comfort himself which was a very difficult task for him. So to please his Guru Mahārāj, he accepted the important service responsibility given by his Gurudeva to become his next successor ācārya.  


—Śrīla Bhakti Nandan Swami Mahārāj, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math


(Part 2, transcription from spoken English)




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